Why We Chose Low-Charge Ammonia

Home , EcoCute

Woolworths Graduates To

CO2 Transcritical p. 26

Utility Incentives: Making Progress p. 36

Propane Shines At NRA Show p. 42

David and Becky Bornemeier, Western Gateway Storage p. 16 WHY WE CHOSE LOW-CHARGE AMMONIA

/Editor's note/

Editor’s note OPEN UP THE INCENTIVES SPIGOT

By Michael Garry

To understand the impact that government subsidies can have on the As described in this issue’s articles on Still, there have been breakthroughs at market uptake two Japanese industrial end users, Nissui several utilities, such as Rocky Mountain Logistics and NittoBest (page 32), and Power, which saw fit to provide an energy of natural a Japanese manufacturer, Mayekawa incentive for a low-charge ammonia refrigerant (page 62), the Japanese government system installed at Western Gateway has been extremely supportive of the Storage, the subject of our cover story systems, you implementation of natural refrigerant (page 16). Other utilities on the cutting only need to technology, such as Mayekawa’s NewTon edge of natural refrigerant incentive

NH3/CO2 packaged unit. The country’s funding include Southern California look at what’s Ministry of Environment (MOE), in particular, Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, Sacramento happened in provided 6.3 billion yen ($56.7 million) Municipal Utility District, ComEd, Duke in subsidies last year, and has slated 7.3 Energy, and NYSERDA (New York State Japan. billion yen ($65.7 million) for 2016, covering Energy Research and Development up to one-half the cost of new systems. Authority, which works with utilities).

In the U.S., of course, it’s a different story. Moreover, a good deal of research into the The Environmental Protection Agency energy efficiency of natural refrigerant has been active in regulating refrigerant systems is demonstrating their great leaks and delisting high-GWP refrigerants potential to reduce energy consumption. in many applications, but it has not The Electric Power Research Institute offered any subsidies in support of natural (EPRI), for example, conducted studies refrigerants. At the state level, that may last year showing the efficiency of be changing as California is expected to self-contained propane units as well as

soon announce funding for a refrigerant the ability of CO2 transcritical systems incentive program, which would be applied with mechanical subcooling to function to natural refrigerant systems. (Page 12.) efficiently in high-temperature climates.

The one opportunity for outside funding EPRI is also working with Southern for natural refrigerant projects has California Edison on collecting energy come from electric power utilities, which data on the NewTon at an Imuraya USA designate incentives for technology found plant that makes frozen desserts. The to save energy. But, as delineated in an utility and EPRI are planning to collaborate article on page 36, securing an energy with several other utilities on advancing incentive for commercial and industrial adoption of natural refrigerant technology. refrigeration systems can be difficult because these systems often don’t Eventually, utilities may start following the lend themselves to a straightforward state of California’s lead in looking, not prescriptive energy analysis like an LED only at natural refrigerants’ efficiency, but light bulb. In order to qualify on a custom at their low-GWP profile. basis, they require a lot of data to back up their energy claims. These efforts and more should eventually open up the incentives spigot, turning a trickle into a steady stream. MG

June 2016 Accelerate America 3 /Table of contents/

VOLUME 2, ISSUE #16, JUNE 2016

ADVANCING HVAC&R NATURALLY AMERICA

About Accelerate America

Brought to you by shecco America Inc., the worldwide experts in natural refrigerant news, Accelerate America is the first monthly news magazine written for and about the most progressive business leaders working with natural refrigerant solutions in all HVAC&R sectors. @AccelerateNA http://acceleratena.com

3 16

Editor’s note

Editor’s note by Michael Garry

The Road to Low-Charge 6

Ammonia The Bornemeiers – the husband-and-wife team that runs Western Gateway Storage – are the first to install Evapco’s low-charge packaged ammonia system. Here’s the Events Guide story behind their decision.

for June, July & August 2016

10 12 26 Short takes

Something’s Coming, For Woolworths,

Something Good CO2 Is ‘A No-Brainer’

Guest column by Keilly Witman

4 Accelerate America June 2016 /Table of contents/

VOLUME2 Experiencing the NewTon 32 Nissui Logistics and food manufacturer ISSUE# NittoBest show how the Japanese have 16

leveraged the ammonia/CO2 system to meet Publisher Marc Chasserot refrigeration needs while saving energy, with [email protected] the help of government subsidies @marcchasserot

Editor Michael Garry

Utility Incentives: A Work NYSERDA [email protected] CO2 transcritical PG&E Comed Ammonia / CO CO transcritical 2 2 @mgarrywriter in Progress SMUD Rocky Mountain Power CO2 cascade Low-charge ammonia 36 Duke Energy

CO2 transcritical

SCE Utilities are starting to support natural Propane, Low-charge ammonia Reporter Mark Hamstra refrigerant systems with energy- [email protected] UTILITIES OFFERING efficiency incentives, but a lot of barriers INCENTIVES FOR NATREF APPLICATIONS still need to be overcome Contributing Writers Pilar Aleu Jan Dusek Nina Masson Converting to Propane Elke Milner James Ranson 42 Led by True Manufacturing, a slew of food- Andrew Williams service equipment manufacturers are tran- Klara Skacanova sitioning their refrigerator/freezer lines from Justina Tamasiunaite HFCs to R290 refrigerant; they showcased the change at the NRA Show Events Coordinators Silvia Scaldaferri Anastasia Papagiannopoulou

Advertising Manager Franziska Menten

Double Duty 48 Art director Mehdi Bouhjar North America’s first ammonia/COt ice rink Graphic Designers Charlotte Georis system provides both heat and cold Anna Salhoffer

Photographer Ben Beechey Jameson Clifton 54 58

Cooling Systems Try to Europeans Eye Training Keep Up with Data Centers Programs

susbscribe to our email alert 62 66 on acceleratena.com/subscribe

Accelerate’s network of offices stretches from New York and Brussels to Tokyo and Melbourne. Accelerate America is published monthly except for a mid-year and year-end double issue. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Every care is taken to ensure the content of the magazine is accurate but we assume no responsibility for any effect from Bringing the ‘Natural Five’ Follow the Leader errors or omissions.

Published by shecco America Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction To the World in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright owner. June 2016 Accelerate America 5 /Events guide/

EVENTS

GUIDE JUNE 2016

lie eet

June 2, Kansas City, KS June 20-23, St Paul, MN 1 8th Annual Ammonia Safety Day 7 IDEA 2016 “Embracing Change,” 107th Annual http://reta.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=778648 Conference and Tradeshow http://www.idea2016.org/

June 13-14, New York, NY June 20-23, Chicago, IL 2 The NAPHN 2016 Conference & Expo: Decarbonize 8 FMI Connect Our Future Today http://www.fmiconnect.net/ http://naphnetwork.org/2016-naphn-conference-is-announced/ twitter: #FMIConnect @FMI_Connect twitter: #naphn16 @NAPHN_info

June 15, Kapolei, HI June 24, Oakwood, GA 3 Hawaii Ammonia Safety Day 9 ASTI Ammonia Safety Day at Lanier Tech https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hawaii-ammonia-safety-day- http://www.eventbrite.com/e/asti-ammonia-safety-day-at- tickets-24661327695 lanier-tech-tickets-24257139758

June 16-17, Chicago, IL June 25-29, St. Louis, MO 4 ATMOsphere America 2016 10 ASHRAE Annual Conference http://www.atmo.org/events.details.php?eventid=44 https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/ twitter: #ATMOAmerica @ATMOEvents conferences/2016-ashrae-annual-conference

June 20-22, Chicago, IL June 28, 2pm EDT 5 11 Global Cold Chain Expo 2016 GreenChill Webinar: CO2 Systems 101 - Product http://www.globalcoldchainexpo.org/ Knowledge twitter: #GCCE2016 @coldchainexpo https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/co2productknowledge/ twitter: #NEBFM16 @NEBFM

June 20-22, Chicago, IL June 29-30, Boston, MA 6 United Fresh 2016 12 11th Annual Northeast Buildings & Facilities http://www.unitedfreshshow.org/ Management Show & Conference twitter: #unitedfresh2016 #authenticveg @UnitedFresh http://www.proexpos.com/NEBFM/index.php twitter: #NEBFM16 @NEBFM

6 Accelerate America June 2016 /Events guide/

EVENTS 4 5 1

2 GUIDE 8

7 6 JULY 2016

July 11-14, West Lafayette, IN July 21-23, Omaha, NE 1 2016 Purdue Conferences: Compressor 5 77th American Convention of Meat Processors & Engineering, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Suppliers’ Exhibition High Performance Buildings http://www.aamp.com/event-calendar/aamp-convention/ https://engineering.purdue.edu/Herrick/Events/ twitter: @AAMPNews Conferences

July 11-14, San Francisco, CA July 26-28, Long Beach, CA 2 Intersolar North America 6 2016 Energy Efficiency & Demand Response Symposium https://www.intersolar.us/en/home.html http://www.cvent.com/events/2016-energy-efficiency-demand- twitter: #Intersolar @Intersolar response-symposium/event-summary-e0ce07695aa849118d15 703e4fab4d21.aspx

July 13-14, Houston, TX July 29-31, Monterey, CA 3 Build Expo 2016 7 PMA Foodservice Conference and Expo http://buildexpousa.com/index.html http://www.pma.com/events/foodservice twitter: @BuildExpoUSA

July 16-19, Chicago, IL July 31-August 3, St. Louis, MO 4 IFT16 - Institute of Food Technologists 8 2016 IAFP Annual Meeting http://am-fe.ift.org/cms/ http://www.foodprotection.org/annualmeeting/ twitter: #IFT @IFT twitter: @IAFPFood

June 2016 Accelerate America 7 /Events guide/

7 EVENTS GUIDE 2 AUGUST 2016 5 4 1

9 8

August 1-3, Washington, DC August 21-26, Pacific Grove, CA 1 2016 GCCA Assembly of Committees 6 2016 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in http://www.gcca.org/2016-gcca-assembly-committees/ Buildings http://aceee.org/conferences/2016/ssb

August 9-11, Providence, RI August 24-26, Calgary, AB 2 Energy Exchange 2016 7 HRAI’s 48th Annual General Meeting & Conference http://www.2016energyexchange.com/ http://www.hrai.ca/agm/

August 10-12, New Orleans, LA August 28-30, Los Angeles, CA 3 Global Sustainability Summit 8 The 2016 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo http://www.fmi.org/sustainability2016/overview http://www.westernfoodexpo.com/72/western-home.htm twitter: #FMIGMASummit @FMI_ORG

August 10-12, Salt Lake City, UT August 31-September 1, Oklahoma City, OK 4 ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2016: Building 9 2016 Oklahoma Restaurant Convention & Expo Performance Modeling Conference http://mms.okrestaurants.com/Calendar/moreinfo. http://ashraem.confex.com/ashraem/ibpsa16/cfp.cgi php?eventid=36139 twitter: #ORAShow2016 August 17-18, Secaucus, NJ 5 Build Expo New Jersey 2016 http://buildexpousa.com/ twitter: @BuildExpoUSA

8 Accelerate America June 2016 Wet when you need it, dry when you don’t.

HydroBLU® CONTROL TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES OPTIMAL WATER AND ENERGY SAVINGS.

The Güntner ACS, Adiabatic Cooling System, is a high-efficiency dry cooler or condenser which uses evaporative pre-cooler pads only on peak days.

ACS Delivers: • The simple effectiveness of a dry cooler • Peak system efficiency of a wetted system • Water savings of 60% to 90% Guntner U.S. LLC • Plug-&-play controls with integral fan speed control [email protected] • HydroBLU® control technology • Maintenance free fan motors www.guntnerus.com

ACS Ad - March 2016 Accelerate America.indd 1 3/9/2016 3:55:27 PM /Short takes/ SHORT TAKES

— By Michael Garry

AHR EXPO CALLS FOR 2017 AWARDS ENTRIES EPA APPROVES CO2 FOR ICE RINKS, CHILLERS The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published in the Federal Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) has Register a notice finding carbon dioxide acceptable as a refrigerant in new announced its call for entries for the 2017 equipment for ice skating rinks, centrifugal chillers, positive displacement Innovation Awards Competition. chillers and industrial process air conditioning.

The winners in each of the ten product The published ruling, which took effect on May 23, falls within the EPA’s categories will receive special recognition SNAP (Significant New Alternatives Policy) program designating alternatives at the AHR Expo, to be held in Las to ozone-depleting refrigerants. Vegas Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The winner The EPA noted that many substitutes listed as acceptable for ice skating

of the Product of the Year Award will be rinks have higher GWPs that that of CO2 (one); these include R134a, R404A, announced at a ceremony on Tuesday, THR-03 and other HFC blends, which have GWPs ranging from 920 to 3,990. January 31 at the Expo. Similarly, many substitutes listed as acceptable for centrifugal and positive As in past years, the annual competition displacement chiller as well as industrial process air conditioning have GWPs

aims to honor the most inventive, useful higher than that of CO2; these include R513A, R450A, R134a, R404A and other and original products, systems and HFC blends, which have GWPs ranging from approximately 600 to 3,990. technologies showcased on the AHR

Expo’s exhibit floor in the following The EPA SNAP program has previously approved CO2 for a host of categories: building automation; cooling; applications, including retail food refrigeration, transport, cold storage and green building; heating; indoor air quality; vending machines. MG plumbing; refrigeration; software; tools & instruments; and ventilation. U.S. AGENCIES ISSUE FINAL RULE ON HFCS All 2017 AHR Expo exhibitors are eligible to submit a product for the Innovation The Department of Defense, General Services Awards. Exhibitors may submit one Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space product in each category, as long as that Administration have issued a final rule amending the product has not previously won an award. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the To be considered, products must be Climate Action Plan’s requirement to procure, when feasible, exhibited at the Expo and available for sale alternatives to high global warming potential HFCs. by the end of January 2017. Completed entry forms and a $100 entry fee must This final rule, effective June 15, 2016, will allow agencies to better meet the be submitted online at ahrexpo.com by greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and reporting requirements of the Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016. MG Obama Administration’s Executive Order on Planning for Sustainability in the Next Decade, according to a notice published in the Federal Register last month.

In response to public comments, the final rule clarified the definition of high global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons to make it specific to a particular end use; and included the use of reclaimed HFCs as products that minimize or eliminate the use, release, or emission of high-GWP HFCs.

Some public comments to the proposed rule said it “could have considerable impact on reducing the government’s greenhouse gas emissions.” MG

10 Accelerate America June 2016 CO2 was big news three years ago. NOW IT’S JUST BIG. Every time we breathe out we exhale one of the most abundant Benefits of CO2

resources on earth – and the key to a revolution in refrigeration • Significant HFC charge reduction with CO2 Secondary & Cascade systems and 100%HFC systems that happened over three years ago. Hard to believe it’s elimination with CO2 Booster systems. ® been that long since the CO2 refrigerant systems by Hillphoenix caused such a stir. Back then we had to convince people that • CO2 offers improved compressor energy performance. CO2 was the perfect solution for them. Today, the argument’s

been settled. CO2 is abundant, inexpensive, the very definition • Smaller diameters reduce copper pipe usage. of sustainable, extremely safe and performs at such a high level, • Eliminates costly future refrigerant retrofits the only question we get from our clients now is, “When can I that interrupt sales floor activity. get one?” • Much smaller carbon footprint.

• CO2 is naturally occurring and delivers a GWP (Global Warming Potential) of one.

• CO2 refrigerant is abundantly available and inexpensive.

• Sustainable technology helps achieve GreenChill certification.

Phone: 844.540.8803 Email: [email protected] www.hillphoenix.com

2016_CO2_Ad_1pg.indd 1 6/1/16 9:52 AM /Guest column/

SOMETHING’S COMING, SOMETHING GOOD

If California’s Refrigerant Incentive Program gets the proper funding support from the California legislature, it will transform the marketplace for natural refrigerant systems, not just in California but nationally

– By Keilly Witman

e are on the cusp of a game-changing development in the What’s particularly significant about the refrigerant incentive Wnatural refrigerants arena. program is that for the first time in the U.S. an incentive program would target the direct greenhouse gas emissions (GWP) In the near future, the California legislature is expected to associated with refrigerants. Heretofore, incentives in commercial announce its 2016-2017 budget, including funding for a low-GWP refrigeration have been the realm of utility companies, and as refrigerant incentive program, which would provide essential a result, the incentives have been based on energy-efficiency funding support for natural refrigerant refrigeration systems. improvements. While natural refrigerants are demonstrating energy-saving capacity, their super-low GWPs are what leads to California’s Governor Brown included $20 million for this financial the largest gains for our climate system. incentive program in his proposed budget. The California legislature’s budget subcommittee #3, chaired by Assemblyman CAP-AND-TRADE MONEY Richard Bloom, a strong advocate for environmental protection, has been primarily responsible for reviewing the portions of the The funding for the refrigerant incentive program comes from budget relating to the program. an apropos source -- California’s greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, which collects a large amount of money annually from Glenn Gallagher, air pollution specialist at the California Air the state’s greenhouse gas emitters. The state must, by law, Resources Board (CARB), has made it clear that the funding would invest the money in programs that combat climate change. The apply to systems that use natural refrigerants, such as transcritical current investment cycle started in 2013, and ends this month as

CO2, ammonia-CO2 and hydrocarbon self-contained systems and the legislature decides which entities will receive funding for the stand-alone equipment, whose GWP is zero or close to it. next three-year period (July 2016-June 2019).

To paraphrase Vice President Joe Biden on another topic, the Groups like the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council Refrigerant Incentive Program, if it comes anywhere close to (NASRC) and shecco have taken steps to support California’s getting the $20 million the governor has allocated to it, will be refrigerant incentive program; NASRC has been encouraging a really big deal. For supermarkets, cold-storage operators supermarket companies to tell the California legislature that they and many other large end users of refrigeration equipment, the are in favor of this program. refrigerant incentive program would offer an opportunity to continued on p.14 escape from endless refrigerant regulations and phase outs.

12 Accelerate America June 2016 WHY IS GREEN SO EFFICIENT?

C H I LLVE N TA October 11–13, 2016 Hall 7, Booth 330

Because GREEN is BITZER! Your innovative partner for high efficiency and intelligent cooling solutions. We are at your side, all over the world, always. You can count on us and our products! Visit us at CHILLVENTA and learn more about BITZER at www.bitzer.de

A.I.1604_BRAND_II_EN_215,9x279,4+3,2.indd 1 28.04.16 09:25 /Guest column/

Supermarket operators have for a long time been aware that they can’t solve refrigerant-related environmental problems by just addressing leak repair and record-keeping.

But supermarkets, famously operating under razor-thin margins, for the most part can’t afford, or are otherwise disinclined, to The funding for the simply overhaul their leaky, high-GWP systems with natural- Refrigerant Incentive refrigerant alternatives that cost $1 million to $1.5 million, far above the cost of a conventional system – at least not without Program comes from some help. an apropos source -- Why are costs of environmentally friendly refrigeration systems California’s greenhouse so high? According to systems manufacturers, it comes down to economies of scale. These systems are still relatively new to the gas cap-and-trade U.S. market, so manufacturers have not yet achieved the sales volumes that lead to economies of scale and lower prices. Some program.” system components are being imported from Europe and Japan “ because the U.S. market is still too small to warrant domestic manufacturing facilities.

Contractors also have limited experience with these new systems, Eventually, more supermarket companies and other commercial resulting in higher installation and maintenance costs in the U.S. and industrial end users would invest in these systems, ultimately creating a continuous virtuous cycle. Most importantly, the The beauty of California’s proposal is it would help generate impact of this cycle would be felt not just in California, but also enough sales for OEMs and component makers to achieve nationally. economies of scale, and lower equipment prices. Contractors would have more opportunities to gain experience installing The commercial refrigeration industry eagerly awaits the and maintaining these systems. Organizations like NASRC verdict on the refrigerant incentive program from the California and shecco could track system performance and share data legislature. It remains to be seen how the legislature divvies throughout the industry. up the cap-and-trade monies, but to quote from an old song, something’s coming, something good. KW

Keilly Witman is the owner of KW Refrigerant Management Strategy, a consulting firm that helps the supermarket industry manage strategic challenges in the refrigeration world. In 2015, she helped found the The beauty of North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council, a nonprofit that California’s proposal is promotes the use of natural refrigerants in the grocery sector. Prior to starting her own firm, she ran the EPA’s GreenChill Partnership, it would help generate which grew to encompass more than 8,500 supermarkets during her enough sales for tenure. OEMs and component makers to achieve “economies of scale.”

14 Accelerate America June 2016

/Industrial refrigeration/

Existing Western Gateway Storage building, opened in 1950.

16 Accelerate America June 2016 /Industrial refrigeration/

THE ROAD TO LOW-CHARGE AMMONIA

The Bornemeiers – the husband- and-wife team that runs Western Gateway Storage – are the first to install Evapco’s low-charge packaged ammonia system. Here’s the story behind their decision.

– By Michael Garry

avid Bornemeier always had a nose for a good investment. DWhen he was a finance student at the University of Utah, Bornemeier discovered a mint-condition 1967 Mustang in a barn. He bought it for $500, stripped it down, rebuilt it and sold it – for a price that “paid for a good chunk of my college education,” he said.

Years later, in 2011, Bornemeier came upon another investment opportunity – a 100-year-old cold storage facility in Ogden, Utah, called Western Gateway Storage Co., which he described to his wife, Becky, as a “giant refrigerator.” In addition to doing copious amounts of due diligence into the building, the company and the 3PL industry, he also had a gut feeling about this property, the same feeling he had about the Mustang. It was, he said, “gorgeous … just a little dust on it is all.”

They bought the company, David becoming CFO and president; Becky, CEO.

Photography by Jameson Clifton continued on p.20

June 2016 Accelerate America 17 for LIFE We didn’t just tackle ammonia safety. We changed the game.

Discover the power of the Evapcold family of products—the next evolution in ammonia refrigeration systems. It’s just one of the many innovations from EVAPCO that’s designed to make life Competitive cost. Versus “stick built” systems, and easier, more reliable, and more sustainable for you. We reduces the costs associated with machine room are EVAPCO—the team you can count on for life. construction and field electrical wiring.

Reduced tax burden for owners. The packaged Inherently safer technology. Only 1 to 6 pounds of system makes accounting for accelerated depreciation ammonia per ton of refrigeration. easier than itemizing “stick built” systems. Lower regulatory burden. Stay below OSHA’s Including lower regulatory PSM 10,000 pound threshold and guarantee a lower Lower life-cycle costs. and code compliance costs, lower training costs, EPA off-site consequence analysis. lower electric bills and lower refrigerant costs. Lower energy consumption. Suction temperatures precisely matched to your specific room loads and 100% EVAPCO manufactured and featuring the From the company you already know individual room temperature. latest technology. and trust. Financially strong and employee owned, we are Smarter use of space. Reduce the size of—or committed to product innovation through extensive R&D. completely eliminate—your Central Machine Room, Talk to your local enabling you to dedicate more square footage to And that’s only the beginning. EVAPCO representative or visit to revenue-generating operations. evapco.com learn about ALL the game-changing benefits of the Faster installation. A plug-and-play design that’s Evapcold Packaged Refrigeration System and new factory tested and assembled for quick startup. chiller packages.

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Fluid cooler that supplies water/glycol mixture to Evapcold unit.

This year, the Bornemeiers are embarking The story of the Bornemeiers’ decision skills he developed as a financial analyst. on the next phase of their journey as to follow their investment in Western “David got to see what formulas worked so investors and entrepreneurs, opening up Gateway with another in a low- he could look at a company and see how a brand new cold storage facility this July charge industrial refrigeration system to make that company better and expand,” adjacent to the existing Western Gateway demonstrates the kind of planning, said Becky Bornemeier. building. Among its enhancements, the curiosity, and resolve needed to move new building will feature the Evapcold low- forward with next-generation technology. Bornemeier attributes part of his charge-ammonia packaged refrigeration success to not being afraid to ask “dumb system from Evapco – the first Evapcold DUE-DILIGENCE SKILLS questions, even though they make you system to be installed in the U.S. (See feel dumb when you ask them” as part of “Research + Sustainability = Low-Charge Before becoming investors and business his due diligence. “That has made all the Ammonia,” Accelerate America, December owners, the Bornemeiers spent a decade difference in making educated decisions 2015-January 2016.) honing their skills in private-sector jobs, and helping our company manage its David in commercial banking as a financial risk exposure. We’re not embarrassed It’s also among the first wave of low- analyst and Becky in residential real about asking the dumb questions - we get charge, rooftop-mounted refrigeration estate. “By 2006, we decided we had the smarter and our businesses get better systems that are starting to be used as necessary skills and capital to shift our every time we ask one.” a safer, simpler, faster-to-install, far-less- strategy of working for companies to regulated, and, in many cases, more actually owning them,” said Bornemeier. An early company acquisition, in 2008, was efficient alternative to traditional stick- born of personal experience. “One of the built, large-charge industrial ammonia Asked about how they manage a business excuses I made to come see Becky while systems that require an engine room relationship along with their marriage, we were dating was to help her study for her and network of piping. Other low-charge Bornemeier replied that “it comes down to real estate exam,” said Bornemeier. “We later system suppliers include Azane, NXTCOLD, communication.” He has often heard that purchased the company (Stringham Real Stellar, Mayekawa and Cimco. even building a home can “put your marriage Estate School) that provided the real estate to the test,” and yet they have been able exam prep I was helping her with.” They Low-charge ammonia systems are also to successfully build “multi-million-dollar continue to own the company today, though regarded as an environmentally friendly commercial buildings and businesses.” their primary focus is on Western Gateway. alternative to industrial refrigeration units that employ R22 or HFC refrigerants, which Bornemeier’s approach to new Within the new Western Gateway building, are on their way out of the marketplace investments – whether a cold storage the Bornemeiers are also carving out a due to their ozone-depleting and/or potent facility or a next-generation refrigeration section that will house a new, separate global warming effect. system – is to apply the due-diligence company using a traditional stick-built

20 Accelerate America June 2016 /Industrial refrigeration/

Rendering shows new Western Gateway building in the front, existing building in the rear; on the roof of the new buidling are the two Evapcold units and adjacent fluid coolers.

ammonia system with an engine room. both medium temperatures (33°F and above) and low temperatures (5°F and When Bornemeier first approached Becky below); it uses a traditional ammonia about Western Gateway, “she humored system with thousands of pounds of me,” he recalled. But Western Gateway met charge. The new building is one story their key criteria: tangible assets, a great with just 30,000 square feet, yet it holds reputation, and being in business for many the same volume as the other building years. It has proven to be “a diamond in because its ceilings are twice as high; its the rough,” he said. target temperature is -5°F or below. Cold storage room with supply air plenums at top for both Evapcold units Western Gateway’s roots go back to the turn In April, two Evapcold units arrived at of the 20th century when it partnered and Western Gateway’s new building, finding later merged with a meatpacking company, a home on the roof. Each Evapcold unit which was sold in 1950. Western Gateway — which is 42-feet, 7-inches long, 10-feet, fittingly still makes use of the nearby 10-inches wide and nine-feet, seven-inches transcontinental railroad, which helped open high — contains 290 lbs. of ammonia, and up the western U.S. “The theme of keeping can provide 70 TR of cooling (4.1 lbs./TR), our customer’s inventory ‘safe, clean and for a total of 140 TR, though the facility’s cold’ has a long legacy – one we are very cooling load is 100 TR. (The extra TR is prepared to continue,” said Bornemeier. spare capacity.) The units, which will blow cold air into the freezer room via ductwork, In addition to the Evapcold low-charge are sized to allow one to be down ammonia system – which Bornemeier temporarily for maintenance. calls the “crown jewels of our new building” -- Western Gateway’s new To cool the low-charge units’ condensers, cold storage facility has other elements a fluid cooler is stationed next to each unit, Rear of Evapcold unit; the blue pipe is the glycol/water designed to reduce material usage and feeding them a water/glycol mixture. connection from an adjacent fluid cooler. energy consumption. In addition, the separate stick-built For example, the Evapcold pallet racking ammonia system using two Evapco is constructed to distribute the weight of ceiling-hung evaporators will cool a 35°F its product loads such that the amount dock with a 20 TR cooling load. of concrete used in the flooring could be reduced. In addition, “our warehousemen/ AN ALTERNATIVE TO FREON women will really like our new forklifts and racking layout since it will allow them to Western Gateway did not originally plan safely move more product even faster,” he to buy a low-charge ammonia system. said. “We’ll be able to handle more truck The initial general contractor for the loads in day and keep our reputation for new Western Gateway building led the moving trucks in and out on time.” Bornemeiers toward a less expensive Freon-based refrigeration system. But, at Western Gateway’s old two-story the beginning of 2015, they found a new building – measuring 63,000 square feet general contractor, Sirq Construction, and containing 1 million cubic feet – and began rethinking their approach encompasses several storage rooms for Screw compressor package inside the Evapcold continued on p.24 machinery room

June 2016 Accelerate America 21 WE OFFER WE SERVE WE ARE We create innovative, – – – High technology Data centers Carnot, leader customized and sustainable Safe systems Supermarkets in the development of Constant reliability Food processing centers CO2 and NH3 refrigeration refrigeration technologies. Incredible energy efﬁciency Distribution centers technologies WE OFFER WE SERVE WE ARE We create innovative, – – – High technology Data centers Carnot, leader customized and sustainable Safe systems Supermarkets in the development of Constant reliability Food processing centers CO2 and NH3 refrigeration refrigeration technologies. Incredible energy efﬁciency Distribution centers technologies /Industrial refrigeration/

In order to make that decision, Bornemeier solicited assistance from his local refrigeration contractor, Jack Gage, owner of Jack R. Gage Refrigeration, as well as his product rep, David Anderson of Clark Johnson Co., “Jack and David Anderson were patient enough to review I don’t know

how many different configurations – NH3,

CO2, Freon, mixtures of both, you name it,” he said. Bornemeier and Gage even The front of an Evapcold unit showing machinery room concocted a novel solution of their own, but door with required signage. were advised that “the technology we were dreaming up hadn’t been invented yet.”

to refrigeration. Sirq “fostered an Bornemeier considered using an ammonia/ environment where we could educate CO system but “we felt the design of our ourselves, and then consulted [with 2 building lent itself to a low-charge ammonia ENERGY INCENTIVE FOR us] on costs, pros and cons, etc.,” said package on the roof.” He evaluated other LOW-CHARGE SYSTEM Bornemeier. low-charge ammonia vendors, but opted Western Gateway was able to for Evapco because of its longevity as a He started asking lots of questions obtain a $60,000 energy-efficiency supplier and OEM of refrigeration systems, about refrigeration, such as: What is incentive for its two Evapcold including many penthouse units. the regulatory trend in different types low-charge ammonia packaged of refrigeration? What are the pros and units from Rocky Mountain Power, He made two trips to Evapco’s cons from a maintenance perspective? helping to defray the cost of the headquarters in Taneytown, Md. The first What do our customers want? Is there a equipment. was to vet the company and the second, way to keep piping to a minimum inside last December, to see the Evapcold unit the freezer shell or can it be eliminated The company partnered with in action on a test stand. (See “Western altogether? What are the install time energy consultants Cascade Gateway: First to Use Evapcold,” Accelerate differences between systems?” Energy to secure the incentive. America, December 2015-January 2016.) On the second trip, the Bornemeiers Bornemeier takes pride in learning about The incentive was for the brought their three children, ages 7, 9 a new area like refrigeration in order to efficiency of the low-charge and 11, who “turned the last bolt” on the make the best decision. He believes all refrigeration system installed system before it started up. “We wanted end users should take that approach. “I’m in Western Gateway’s new the kids involved as well,” he said. known to be up until 2-3-4 o’clock in the 30,000-square-foot cold storage morning just researching and searching facility. The annual energy use He acknowledged that being the first to for the latest and greatest,” he said. of the low-charge system was implement a new technology is something calculated to be 20% less than of a risk. But he trusts Evapco’s ability Asked if this thirst for knowledge is one of that of the baseline system, a to package “tried, true and tested” her husband’s strengths, Becky Bornemeier savings of 280,000 kWH ($30,000 laughed and said, “I would say so.” annually). Of that, 220,000 kWH was attributable directly to the Bornemeier ultimately rejected the notion low-charge refrigeration (including that he should invest in a less-expensive 60,000 kWH from the evaporator’s Freon system. “It seemed like with Freon variable frequency drive) and we would be trying to cut corners,” he 60,000 kWH to the variable said. “It just felt wrong not to make the frequency drive in the fluid cooler refrigeration system the main focus.” He used to cool the condenser in the also studied the regulatory environment low-charge unit. and could see that HFC refrigerants were not a good solution for the long The baseline system was a single- term. “We were looking at this building stage, economized recirculated lasting a good long time, not only from a liquid ammonia system, with a regulatory standpoint but for operations fixed-speed screw compressor and maintenance as well,” he said. “So and evaporative condenser. hands-down, low-charge ammonia was a From left: Kurt Liebendorfer, Evapco; better decision.” and David Bornemeier, Western Gateway.

24 Accelerate America June 2016 /Industrial refrigeration/

components from major suppliers like it affects the environment, the safety of The ease of operation of the low-charge Danfoss and Bitzer – whom he also vetted our employees and the product we’re system also appeals to Bornemeier, with – into a new low-charge design. “I have full housing for our customers. Any ammonia control features accessible on a computer confidence that Evapco could provide this leak can be handled from the outside, and or on the unit itself. as a brand new, first-of-its-kind installation there’s no chance the evaporator coils for them, in a brand new building for us,” that contain ammonia will be hit by any In terms of equipment and installation he said. “We felt they had the same sound operations in the warehouse.” costs, the Evapcold units are “comparable reputation we look for when we buy and to or less” than a conventional ammonia invest in businesses.” The Evapcold units’ fast installation system, said Bornemeier. That includes the compared to a conventional ammonia oversizing of the units and the additional Bornemeier likened the Evapcold system system was also a “huge selling point for structural costs to support the weight of to a cheese steak sandwich consisting of us,” said Becky Bornemeier. Arriving in the units on the roof, which were balanced familiar ingredients – sliced prime rib, a April, the low-charge units will be turned by lower labor and equipment costs for soft French baguette, caramelized onions on in June and will slowly bring the installation, energy savings, and a $60,000 and provolone cheese – that he would temperature of the freezer down to target utility incentive. (See story, page 24.) happily consume individually. But he would levels by the end of July. still need to evaluate the chef putting The Evapcold system lowers equipment those ingredients together. In Evapco, he By drastically cutting the amount of and maintenance costs by drastically found his “chef” -- an OEM whose company ammonia in the system, low-charge reducing the amount of ammonia piping, culture and R&D capacity appealed to him. ammonia systems also reduce an end valves, insulation and controls needed to user’s regulatory burden, which spikes when run the system. SAFETY IS KEY ammonia charges exceed 10,000 lbs. “With an existing building next door, the new The utility incentive earned by Western Selecting Evapcold units meant embracing freezer operation and an additional stick- Gateway reflects the energy efficiency of a new refrigeration system with additional built system for a separate process, we were the Evapcold unit, which was calculated weight on the rooftop that would “affect concerned with the potential to exceed the to consume 20% less energy than a the structural design of our building,” he 10,000-lb. threshold,” said Bornemeier. “With conventional ammonia system. said. But the advantages of the system the Evapcold units in place, we won’t come made up for that issue. close to that threshold.” Bornemeier will be sharing the actual operational results of using the low-charge Improved safety was one of the biggest The Evapcold unit also gives Western system with Accelerate America in the reasons the Bornemeiers went with a Gateway a single source to consult with coming months. He will also be speaking low-charge system. “You want to build in the event of operational problems, as about the system at the ATMOsphere your system so there are no releases,” opposed to a myriad of suppliers for a America conference in Chicago on June said Bornemeier. “But in the event there traditional ammonia system. “That was 17, as will Kurt Liebendorfer, vice president is a release, [with a low-charge, rooftop a big selling point for us and allows us to of Evapco. Stay tuned. MG system] there’s no comparison with how better manage our risk,” he said.

SYSTEM SPECS

Western Gateway Storage’s new cold-storage warehouse and low-charge refrigeration system have the following characteristics:

• Size of building: 30,000 square feet, 10-feet, 10-inches wide and nine- 1 million cubic feet feet, seven-inches high • Temperature of freezer room: -5°F • Ammonia charge in each unit: 290 or below. lbs. • Number of low-charge ammonia • Capacity of each unit: 70TR units: 2 • Cooling load: 100TR • Supplier of units: Evapco • Fluid cooler next to each unit • Size of unit: 42-feet, 7-inches long, supplying glycol/water mix

June 2016 Accelerate America 25 /Food retail/

Michael Englebright, Woolworths FOR WOOLWORTHS, CO2 IS ‘A NO-BRAINER’

Having gained experience with CO2 cascade systems, the Australian retail giant plans to move forward with transcritical technology, enhanced to deal with the nation’s warm regions, and a comprehensive training program

– By James Ranson

26 Accelerate America June 2016 /Food retail/

hile other industrialized economies CO2 transcritical systems. Currently, the Wlike the European Union and the company has five transcritical store U.S. are imposing regulations that systems (and three industrial systems) support the adoption of natural refrigerant running in Australia and one in New systems, Australia has yet to follow suit. Zealand that was installed in March, as

well as one store with a waterloop CO2 That leaves Australia’s two largest food condensing unit. retailers, Woolworths and Coles – who share close to 80% of the market – with The end game is to adopt transcritical a sizeable role to play in setting the technology, but that can be a difficult sustainable agenda. proposition in Australia given its warm climate. Still, the five installed systems “I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t true,” said “haven’t missed a beat,” said Englebright. Michael Englebright, Woolworths’ national “So as the technology continues to develop engineering manager during an interview for us, it’s a no-brainer for the future.” amid the serene surrounds of Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria. “It’s really up With the commercial sector’s long to the big players in the industry here in history of using CO2 subcritical systems Australia. We’d love to see the government in Australia – including expertise in regulating the industry and providing technology, maintenance and training -- a subsidies, but if we have to wait for that, market-wide move to CO2 transcritical then our store fleets will be nearing their would be a “logical transition,” said end of life. We’ve got to be proactive and Englebright. The declining costs of get on the front foot and steer the way subcritical systems suggest a similar with a rigorous strategy and program.” trajectory for transcritical systems as the latter’s volume grows. And getting on with it is exactly what Woolworths has done. CO2’S EVOLUTION DOWN UNDER Based in Bella Vista, New South Wales, Englebright remembers vividly the unrest Woolworths Limited (no connection to the in the industry back in 2004 when he was U.S. company F.W. Woolworths, now known starting out with Australian contractor as Foot Locker) has wide-ranging outlets, Frigrite. “It was getting repetitive that including 873 Woolworths supermarkets in every 5-6 years we’d have to go through Australia and 160 Countdown stores in New another phase of transitioning out Zealand. The company also operates Caltex [refrigerants] and retrofitting stores.” Woolworths (gas stations), Dan Murphy’s and BWS (liquor chains), Masters (home While at Frigrite, Englebright worked on improvement), Big W (general merchandise) Australia’s first full CO2 liquid recirculation and ALH (hotel and gambling). system, an experience he described as “a huge stepping stone in my career.” For Its Woolworths supermarket chain has two years, Englebright monitored the over 150 CO2 cascade installations -- its store, including maintenance and energy current “business as usual” technology performance. – but Englebright is eager to implement

CO2-only waterloop display cases and continued on p.28

June 2016 Accelerate America 27 /Food retail/

CO2-cooled cabinets

Around this time Frigrite, along with Austral Refrigeration, began Waterloop technology supporting CO2 condensing units for its to look at other alternatives to HFCs. This led to Woolworths’ first display cases is of great interest to Woolworths. The retailer

CO2 cascade system at a store in Sydney, Australia. tested this solution with ARNEG Oceania (its Australian division) in December 2015. Woolworths is now waiting for a manufacturer

Personally, Englebright continued his natural refrigerants journey to support a CO2 “transcritical-type” version. Englebright in Europe as Danfoss’s global applications engineering manager sees potential now in Panasonic’s acquisition of Hussmann, before moving to Carel. He also worked closely with shecco Woolworths’ major display case supplier. (publisher of Accelerate America) to promote natural refrigerants, speaking at a number of U.N. forums before returning to Australia “That’s great news for us, with Panasonic’s experience with

and joining Woolworths in 2014. transcritical CO2 compressor technology, which we hope can complement the waterloop system,” he said. “If we can implement “I’m very passionate about natural refrigerants, but wherever that then we would have two great solutions available for our fleet.” you go in the world the biggest challenge is change,” Englebright

said. Yet he senses change happening in Australia. “Early on Sanden is another supplier to have introduced CO2 waterloop the development of natural refrigerants technology was slow, technology for plug-ins, showcasing it at COP21 in Paris in late 2015. maybe once or twice a year. Now it’s continuous; it happens every quarter. I’m getting calls all the time with the latest natural Englebright acknowledged that the first transcritical stores refrigerant solutions. Availability is increasing, and cost is coming would require an additional cost -- the single biggest challenge

down; now it’s just picking the right solution for the application.” to adopting transcritical CO2. But over time he believes standardization will enable transcritical technology to reach cost

From the initial full CO2 liquid recirculation systems, Woolworths parity with legacy systems.

transitioned to R134a/CO2 cascade systems and continues to adopt these where feasible for all new and refurbished stores. A Still, the capital-cost challenge remains especially thorny for

typical Woolworths store runs around 40,900 to 47,360 square the company’s remote stores. “We cannot adopt CO2 due to feet and requires around 300kW of refrigeration capacity, provided the rural challenges of some of our stores in the northern parts predominantly by one or both of its two key rack suppliers, of Australia,” he said. “It can be very challenging in terms of Heatcraft and Bitzer. maintenance so we pay a price premium for these locations. But in these far reaches [HFCs are] not a long-term solution, and we’ll “Our [hybrid technology] really showed us the way, and we have look at natural refrigerants down the track.” now adopted a highly efficient hybrid system,” Englebright said. And this is setting the stage for further development. And although Woolworths has gone through a turbulent year, we’ve “deployed new technologies last year and will continue to

“With the evolution of the CO2 technology and the adoption of so do so this year,” he said. many different suppliers, it’s becoming very competitive to really continued on p.30 look at transcritical CO2.”

28 Accelerate America June 2016 Take regulatory compliance

out of the equation.

CO2-cooled cabinets

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THE HIGH-AMBIENT CHALLENGE

Australia is blessed with sun, surf and endless space, but its

climate hasn’t necessarily aided the cause of CO2 transcritical. Denis Casey, Woolworths’ refrigeration field engineer Above CO2’s critical point (88°F) -- reached easily and often in many parts of regional and coastal Australia -- transcritical systems face additional challenges to maintain efficiencies. Another leg up for transcritical technology is its ability to offer However, technology advances are helping to meet those considerable heat reclaim; this fits the need for reclaimed

challenges. “With our high ambients, CO2 transcritical was not heat in Australia, especially in regions where humidity is high.

really suited to this environment, but now with the progression Transcritical CO2 also provides hot-gas defrost, another energy- into parallel compression and adiabatic cooling, it makes it a very, saving benefit compared to electric defrost in glass-door display very interesting proposition,” observed Englebright. cases and freezer rooms.

Woolworths is conducting a feasibility study of parallel COLLABORATIVE APPROACH compression, which it sees as“vital” for Australia’s high ambient temperatures. “With [parallel compression] you can incorporate Despite competition between Woolworths and rival Coles being AC,” he noted. as fierce as ever, Englebright and his team are collaborating with their Coles counterparts to innovate and stay at the forefront of Englebright pointed out that some European and U.S. natural refrigerant technology. manufacturers are making a second version of their transcritical systems – a “Rolls Royce” system, including parallel compression “The relationship there [with Coles] is the closest ever,” he said. -- that is “very promising for us.” He cited Green & Cool, Enex and “We both see the benefits of working collaboratively to support Advansor as suppliers that can “provide the solutions and allow the industry.” us to work on making the commercial numbers stack up.” Going forward, Englebright wants to accelerate collaborative In addition, Heatcraft and Bitzer Australia are developing training initiatives and policy discussion despite Woolworths

their own versions of a CO2 transcritical system. This growing owning its own service and installation division. competition among suppliers “allows us to [overcome] the hurdle of the capital outlay a lot quicker,” he said. But Woolworths is still Last year Woolworths commenced a natural refrigerants training waiting for a “full natural refrigerant solution that would really be strategy with a Danfoss e-learning training portal, where its

the icing on the cake.” 200+ technicians are trained on CO2 technology; that is followed by field days through TAFE (Technical and Further Education), Australia’s vocational education program. Each technician’s progress is then tracked. “When we evolve to new technology like CO transcritical, they know all the fundamentals, they WOOLWORTHS BY THE NUMBERS 2 know the refrigerant, they know the technology; it’s just the operating conditions that change.”

• Gross revenue: $60.7 billion Englebright is looking for support from other companies to create • Number of stores in Australia: 3,300 an industry-recognized training scheme. “We would hope that • Number of Woolworths supermarkets in Australia: 873 Coles, ALDI and IGA get involved because at the end of the day it’s • Number of Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand: 160 the front-line people who are supporting us.” • Other stores: Caltex Woolworths (gas stations), Dan Murphy’s and BWS (liquor chains), Masters (home improvement), Big He fondly recalls the collaboration between Sainsbury’s and W (general merchandise) and ALH (hotel and gambling) TESCO in the U.K. “to start the race to implement natural • Number of R134a/CO cascade stores: 150+ 2 refrigerants; you saw the whole industry come together.” He sees • Number of waterloop CO condensing stores: 1 2 a similar opportunity in Australia with the recent ATMOsphere • Number of transcritical CO stores: 5 2 Australia conference in Melbourne and his collaboration with • Number new stores/year: 30 (plus 30-40 remodels) Stuart Saville, Coles’ national refrigeration engineering manager. “Hopefully we can set up a steering group [for] training.” JR

30 Accelerate America June 2016 THE UNDISPUTED LEADER IN NATURAL REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

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Denis Casey, Woolworths’ refrigeration field engineer

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Michinori Kogawa, Nissui Logistics Soichiro Tsukada, NittoBest

EXPERIENCING THE NEWTON

Nissui Logistics and food manufacturer NittoBest show how the Japanese have

leveraged the ammonia/CO2 system to meet refrigeration needs while saving energy, with the help of government subsidies

– By James Ranson and Jan Dusek apanese refrigeration manufacturer Mayekawa introduced its trend-setting low-charge ammonia NH /CO packaged J 3 2 refrigeration unit, the NewTon, in 2008. Since then the company has sold more than 850 units in Japan and is exporting the NewTon to markets around the world, including the U.S. (See story, page 62.)

The NewTon, which uses ammonia to cool CO2, and then

circulates the CO2 to application areas, has evolved to serve a host of applications, from cold and chilled storage to frozen storage and ice rinks. This July, Mayekawa is introducing two new cold storage units and two new frozen storage units, all of which will feature reduced refrigerant charge, system size and weight.

But the companies to first experience the NewTon are based in Japan. The following articles depict how two cold-storage companies have applied and benefited from this technology.

32 Accelerate America June 2016 /Industrial refrigeration/

Nissui Logistics: First with NewTon

In 2008, Tokyo-based Nissui Logistics, which has offices in 40 could continue to develop the NewTon. As a result, various locations around the globe and operates 16 distribution centers, modifications have been made to enhance the technology. became the first company to install the NewTon at a new facility in Kawasaki, Japan. The installation attracted numerous parties from the industrial refrigeration industry as well as government officials from Japan Since then, it has installed the system at two more facilities, in and abroad. Soichiro Tsukada, NittoBest Osaku-Kou (port) and Osaka-Maishima, Japan; the former is jointly operated by Ajinomoto Frozen Foods, Housenreizou, and Nissui. Nissui followed the Kawasaki installation with NewTon deployments at the two other facilities; the joint Osaka venture Initially three refrigeration systems were considered for the and its Maishima facility, which started operations in April 2016.

Kawasaki logistics center: ammonia/CO2; an ammonia direct So far, compared to an R404A system, the NewTons have saved expansion system; and HFC R404A. Mayekawa’s NewTon was energy (excluding lighting and other equipment) at a rate of 23% selected due to its “technological innovativeness, energy-saving in Kawasaki and 53% in Osaka. performance, and overall safety,” said Michinori Kogawa, Nissui’s general manager of the equipment management department. Mayekawa’s NewTon is now mainstream technology in Japan but few competitors with comparable technology exist. Competition

According to Kogawa, the installation of three NewTons with would not only reduce the cost of ammonia/CO2 systems but 14,000 tons of total refrigeration capacity at the Kawasaki facility also create a new dynamic in the market. “We are telling our sales resulted in an energy reduction of 80,000kW a year. representatives and other domestic manufacturers [to go down this path],” Kogawa said. Nissui’s decision to be the first company to deploy the NewTon helped it to “fulfill [its] corporate responsibility,” Kogawa said, Nissui intends to continue installing natural refrigerant adding, “The age of natural refrigerants [was] here.” technology.

Like many Japanese companies, Nissui received subsidies from The company’s focus remains on safety, with flammable Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to defray the additional refrigerants not under consideration in order to completely

cost of the ammonia/CO2 system compared to a traditional HFC avert safety issues and charge limitations. Kogawa noted that

system. The subsidies originally covered up to one-third of the cost large systems using only CO2 are included in the list of possible of a system; that has since risen to about 50%. alternatives.

Nissui has proved to be a valuable partner for Mayekawa, providing crucial energy efficiency, power consumption The age of natural refrigerants and maintenance data so that the Japanese manufacturer [was] here.” “ continued on p.34 June 2016 Accelerate America 33 /Industrial refrigeration/

NittoBest: Going Big with NewTon

At 715,000 square feet, NittoBest Corp.’s flagship facility in A decisive factor in the decision to invest in NewTon, Tsukada Yamagata, Japan, is its largest by far, and considerably larger said, was funding from Japan’s Ministry of Economy Trade and than most food processing facilities in Japan. Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment (MOE), which together helped subsidize one third of the cost of the units, Equipped with two hamburger production lines and three ham-cut- including installation. The total cost of the units would have been let production lines, the facility produces 13 tons of hamburgers approximately 50% more than that of a conventional R404A unit. and 15 tons of ham cutlets daily. Around 15% of food-processing facilities in Japan utilize alterna- Also notable is that the facility is equipped with nine NewTon tives to f-gases for refrigeration. Of the companies that have gone units that supply refrigeration and freezing for its hamburger and down the natural refrigerant route, typically around 60% of their ham-cutlet production lines. Mayekawa also supplied its EcoCute systems are natural refrigerant-based.

CO2 heat pumps to utilize the waste heat produced by the New- Tons for potable hot water. “Funding programs are essential in further expanding the use of natural refrigerants,” said Tsukada. Such programs enable “For us, there are no other options but natural refrigerants,” said manufacturers of natural refrigerant components and equipment Soichiro Tsukada, NittoBest’s managing director and general to establish dedicated manufacturing capacity, which NittoBest manager of production. believes will eventually drive down costs.

NittoBest specializes in the production of frozen, canned, packed, Syoji Miyajima, Mayekawa’s food division director, has been an chilled, and retort-pouched food products, with a total of 13 integral influence on NittoBest’s first, and so far, only NewTon factories and affiliated companies throughout Japan. Yamagata installation in Yamagata. The idea for recovering waste heat Prefecture is the heartland of the company’s operations with eight via a heat pump had not been explored by NittoBest at its other factories situated there. plants prior to Mayekawa’s involvement in the Yamagata project. Mayekawa has also provided maintenance support since the The company started investigating natural refrigerants in 2010, installation was completed in 2014. but decided to take a cautious approach and continue researching the available solutions. In February 2014 the company made Such has been the success of NittoBest’s largest factory in

its move, installing an NH3/CO2 system from another local suppli- Yamagata that it plans to relocate production lines there from er at a facility in Fukuoka Prefecture. other facilities. Tsukada said. When that transition occurs, Nitto- Best intends to switch to additional natural refrigerant systems, Nine months later NittoBest installed the nine Mayekawa NewTon replacing old freezers with new ones. “Natural refrigerants are

NH3/CO2 units at its Yamagata facility. Its employees have ac- the only alternative that we are considering shifting to, and this is tively engaged in equipment and facility management, including irreversible,” he said.

training programs for NH3 refrigeration and leakage handling. NittoBest also plans to launch a business in Vietnam in 2016 The Yamagata facility’s energy consumption is 15% lower than and is investigating the potential to introduce natural refrigerant NittoBest’s other plants that use conventional systems – results technology there. that have brought representatives of companies from Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea to tour the factory. But for now NittoBest will continue to work closely with Mayeka- wa to improve its production capacity and to navigate various The NewTon operates without the oil injection system required factors affecting the introduction of natural refrigerant technolo-

by a conventional NH3 system, therefore maintaining temperature gy, including initial and operational costs, the safety and security for longer periods and leading to an energy savings of 8%-9%. of products, and maintenance and support services.

Because the NewTon uses CO2 as the secondary refrigerant, it JR & JD reduces the ammonia charge from around 661-882 lbs. for Nitto-

Best’s all-NH3 systems to approximately 55 lbs.

For us, there are no other options but natural refrigerants.”

34 “Accelerate America June 2016 THE POWER OF BRAINS A machine is only as good as the engineer who built it

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UTILITY INCENTIVES: A WORK IN PROGRESS

Utilities are starting to support natural tilities possess one of the keys that can unlock the pent- refrigerant systems with energy- Uup interest in natural refrigerant technologies –incentive funding. efficiency incentives, but a lot of barriers still need to be overcome Due to the relatively small market in North America for systems like CO2 transcritical, low-charge ammonia packages, self- contained propane cases and other units that use natural – By Michael Garry refrigerants, their costs remain at a premium above conventional systems. And that’s where utilities can step in and offer incentive funding based on energy efficiency that can defray the extra cost of the new technologies and tip the scale in their favor.

But while some utilities have started supporting natural refrigerant systems (see map, page 38), incentive programs are still a work in progress. “Utilities are interested in how [natural refrigerant systems] work and how they save energy,” said Leigha Joyal, energy analyst for OEM Hillphoenix, which makes

transcritical CO2 racks. “But it’s been rough getting utilities to buy into incentives.”

One of the ways to generate more incentives for natural refrigerant equipment – though they may be modest -- is to categorize them as “prescriptive” or “deemed” technologies whose universally proven energy efficiency calls for a set incentive, as opposed a custom system that has to demonstrate its bona fides from site to site.

“A lot of utilities really want simple plug-and-go proven equipment for programs,” said John Bush, senior engineer for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, Calif., which serves as a research & development resource for utilities.

Self-contained propane systems offer the possibility for prescriptive incentives, as well as low-charge packaged ammonia

systems, including Mayekawa’s NewTon NH3/CO2 unit, said Bush.

On the other hand, utilities will offer custom incentives for John Bush, EPRI natural refrigerant systems if they have “good data so they feel comfortable with what they’re getting in efficiency,” said Bush.

36 Accelerate America June 2016 /Policy/

“Every time we do something [with incentives], it starts in a custom fashion,” he said. “We try to squeeze out as much incentive as we can.” But SCE also tries to develop a deemed program that is “easier to incent, with lower administrative costs.” On the other hand, the deemed approach may mean sacrificing energy saving estimates calculated on a custom basis. “We battle over what makes the most sense,” he said.

Meanwhile, SCE will be metering the energy consumption of self- contained propane coffin freezer cases in 30 stores. “We’ll see if we can come up with data to deem it or express it on a little bit of an accelerated basis,” he said. “The opportunity is here. We should take advantage of it.”

Last year, EPRI studied the efficiency of self-contained propane units and projected 10%-20% energy savings for R290 freezers Leigha Joyal, Hillphoenix compared with R404A equipment in the same product line. (The test found energy consumption was about the same for R134a For example, ComEd, a utility in Northern Illinois, has granted and R290 refrigerators.) Several utilities have responded to incentives for transcritical CO2 systems to Roundy’s and others. the study by looking into bringing the R290 equipment into an “Even though they use a whole-building approach, they do look at incentive program. “Utilities have shown interest in that R290-vs.

CO2,” Joyal said. “They’ve been extremely receptive to CO2, one of R404A difference in particular because the cost of the equipment the better utilities in the U.S.” from this particular manufacturer is the same,” said Bush.

NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development SCE has also done a lot of work in the ammonia arena.Starting in Authority), which works with utilities, has also orchestrated March and continuing throughout the rest of the year, the utility is incentives for CO2 transcritical systems for DeCicco’s & Sons working with EPRI to collect energy data on a NewTon ammonia/ grocery chain and Aldi stores in New York. CO2 packaged unit installed in a walk-in freezer at the Imuraya USA plant in Irvine, Calif., which makes frozen desserts. The Custom incentives usually end up being more substantial than system is being compared with an R507 compressor/condenser prescriptive incentives. In one case, however, a food retailer in and preliminary results show a 30% energy reduction when the Ohio earned an incentive of only $1,500 from Duke Energy for a NewTon system is running, Bush said.

Hillphoenix transcritical CO2 rack, even though the rack saves around 30% on energy consumption compared to an existing HFC With regard to low-charge packaged ammonia equipment, SCE is DX system. “It was surprising,” Joyal said. “We’ve had other areas looking at incentivizing units that would replace comparable R22 where the incentive potential was up to $30,000.” or HFC equipment in walk-in freezer applications.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ The energy savings of a packaged low-charge system compared to an HFC or HCFC unit is 20% to 30%, depending on whether it Paul Delaney, senior engineer for Southern California Edison is air- or water-cooled. Delaney is particularly excited about the (SCE), believes that natural refrigerant systems such as low- potential for low-charge ammonia equipment to replace R22 charge ammonia, self-contained R290 cases and CO2 systems, and R410A in industrial and office building air conditioning. “In as well as hybrid condensing systems that conserve water California, office buildings are the biggest market we have for in drought-stricken California, represent the future for many refrigerants,” he said. “If low-charge ammonia can replace R22, commercial and industrial end users in the Golden State. that would be a big deal and we could go faster into that.” In addition, “R410A is an awful refrigerant, and its replacement Based on its own lab tests on self-contained supermarket freezers would be a big deal.” using propane as a refrigerant (vs. R404A), SCE has started continued on p.38 providing custom incentives for those units, Delaney said.

June 2016 Accelerate America 37 /Policy/

SCE has for more than a year been studying the energy efficiency WHAT’S THE BASELINE? of a NXTCOLD low-charge ammonia system at a Lineage Logistics facility in Oxnard, Calif. The utility has determined the One of the key variables that determine whether a utility approves energy savings compared to the existing ammonia system to an incentive, and how much it will be, is the baseline against be between 10% and 13%, and plans to offer custom incentives which the natural refrigerant system is measured. Sometimes

for future installations of low-charge systems that validate a CO2 transcritical rack will be compared to a condensing unit their efficiency in the field. At the same time, SCE is working on instead of another rack system, or to a new system rather than determining whether low-charge systems clear California’s Title to an end-user’s legacy or prototype system – comparisons that 24 energy-efficiency standard for new buildings. don’t fairly reflect the savings being offered by the transcritical system, said Joyal. Meanwhile, SCE is promoting low-charge ammonia systems, not just for their energy savings but their safety. “It’s absolutely the “Basing the incentive not on current usage but some hypothetical right thing,” said Delaney. “Why would anybody put in a flooded usage does not take into consideration the savings we’re giving,” ammonia system?” she said.

CO2 has been getting a mixed reception in California. SCE, for Utilities in Connecticut, she noted, require comparisons to

example has rejected Hillphoenix’s incentive applications for CO2 new systems, and are skeptical about the energy efficiency of transcritical systems, though it has agreed to reconsider, noted Joyal. transcritical systems in the northeast U.S. As a result, Hillphoenix has not worked on securing incentives for transcritical systems in The original decisions were based on California’s “Savings by Connecticut. Design” program, which awards incentives based on a “whole building” approach. “But now [SCE] has switched gears and is Hillphoenix has developed its own energy analysis tool called

looking at each system individually,” Joyal said. Pack-Calcs; it compares, for example, transcritical CO2 racks to standard DX R404A parallel racks, taking into account loads Hillphoenix has shown that its systems’ efficiency surpasses the and ambient conditions, and comes up with a hypothetical Title 24 standard by 10% to 12% with air-cooled condensers, 23% energy savings. When necessary, Hillphoenix will meter actual with adiabatic condensers, she said. transcritical racks to back up its analysis.

NYSERA

CO2 transcritical PGE C

Ammonia / CO2 CO2 transcritical

SU R P

CO2 cascade Low-charge ammonia E

CO2 transcritical

SCE Propane, Low-charge ammonia

UTILITIES OERING INCENTIVES OR NATRE APPLICATIONS

38 Accelerate America June 2016 /Policy/

CALIFORNIA REBATES FOR FOODSERVICE

The Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), San Ramon, Calif., tests the energy efficiency and performance of commercial kitchen appliances on behalf of California utilities to determine whether they qualify Paul Delaney, Southern California Edison for rebates.

Owned by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), FSTC is operated by Fisher Nickel. In addi- Collaboration among utilities may lead to more incentives tion to PG&E, participating utilities include for natural refrigerant systems. SCE and EPRI are creating a Southern California Edison, San Diego supplemental project to evaluate refrigerants’ energy efficiency Gas & Electric, SoCalGas and Los Angeles that will bring in other utilities. “We’re working on how we can Department of Water and Power. collaborate to push the technology along, understand it and figure out how to incentivize it,” Delaney said. Among natural refrigerant equipment that has qualified for rebates through FSTC EPRI’s research activities are also continuing to generate interest. are propane refrigeration units from True Last year, EPRI also did a test of a CO transcritical booster 2 Manufacturing, including the T-23-HC and system with mechanical subcooling at its lab in Knoxville, Tenn., T-49-HC solid-door reach-in refrigerators, where Bush is based. With the subcooling, the CO system 2 said Denis Livchak, lab manager for FSTC. showed “significant improvement in capacity and efficiency” Compared to the same units with R134a, across a 45°F-115°F temperature range, Bush said, cautioning the hydrocarbon refrigerators consumer that a final report on the test has not yet been issued. “You’d less energy; for example, the T-23 with expect that benefit to be really helpful in overcoming the high- R134a uses 2.14 kWh/day while the temperature efficiency barrier for transcritical.” T-23-HC consumes 1.27 kWh/day, a 41% savings EPRI is seeking field data for CO2 transcritical, and is working on arranging a supermarket test, said Bush. “We cannot solely attribute the energy savings to the refrigerant change; there Natural refrigerant systems would earn more incentives if have been other improvements done to the utilities took into account the zero or near-zero GWPs of these units to decrease energy consumption,” gases, which make a negligible contribution to global warming said Livchak. “However, the savings look compared to HFCs or HCFCs. However, the utilities limit their pretty impressive, percentage-wise.” attention to energy efficiency only. “Everything is kilowatts shed, and that’s it,” said Joyal. “Utilities say they’re in the business of energy reduction, not greenhouse gas reduction.” But, given the regulations that utilities are facing under the federal Clean Power Plan, “they may ultimately go down that road.”

A refrigerant’s GWP is a factor that “we need to look at,” Delaney said, adding, “It’s not something we can take a position on now.”

continued on p.40

June 2016 Accelerate America 39 /Policy/

AA A

SMUD’S TAKE ON CALIFORNIA’S REFRIGERANT INCENTIVE PROGRAM

In the near future, the California legislature is expected to announce its 2016-2017 budget, including funding for a refrigerant incentive program, which would provide essential funding support for natural refrigerant HVAC&R systems. (See story, page 12.)

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has started providing financial incentives related to natural refrigerant systems, notably a rebate to a Whole Foods store in Sacramento, Calif., for a retrofit that included

a CO2 cascade system. (See, “Getting an Energy Rebate, the Whole Foods Way,” Accelerate America, June 2015.)

Accelerate America asked Ryan Hammond, senior energy advisor, commercial services for SMUD, for his views on the impending refrigerant incentive program and what it will mean to his utility.

Accelerate America: What is Ryan Hammond: I am Accelerate America: Would you Ryan Hammond: This is SMUD’s position on this potential excited to be exploring this envision this program directing unknown at this time as program? Does the utility publicly opportunity to develop a some funds to public utilities in we are still working on a support the appropriation of funds natural refrigeration incentive order to administer the incentives program structure. If a natural for this purpose? program. In addition, a programs, considering that the refrigerant incentive program program like this would help utilities are already doing this? is developed, my hope is that meet one of SMUD’s Board directives for the reduction of the other utilities (and possibly region’s total emissions of greenhouse gases through proactive city and state agencies) would be able to adopt all or part of the programs. If the program is developed, SMUD would allot funds program methodologies to assist with the implementation of to support it. natural refrigeration technologies.

Accelerate America: Do you think Ryan Hammond: Yes, my Accelerate America: What do you Ryan Hammond: One that your customers will be excited impression is that customers think would be the main challenges challenge would be getting about the potential for receiving would be excited to have with implementation of such an the word out to commercial additional financial incentives for access to this incentive. incentives scheme? businesses. transitioning to natural refrigerant- based systems? Accelerate America: Do you think Ryan Hammond: Again, this program should focus exclu- the program is still under Accelerate America: Do you Ryan Hammond: The purpose sively on natural refrigerants, or development. From my think that such a program would of the incentive program is should it include other “low-GWP” understanding at this point, be sufficient for incentivizing a to help offset some of the refrigerants such as some HFOs? the intent is to focus on natural large number of your customers incremental cost of one refrigerants only. – Matt Cullinen to purchase new equipment that system over another, and is utilizes natural refrigerants? not intended to pay for the new system.

40 Accelerate America June 2016 Let’s make the switch The natural next step in supermarket cooling

With its low global warming potential (GWP) and capability to recover heat at high temperature,

CO2 is the natural refrigerant for green supermarket cooling systems. What’s more, the heat recovered by a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system can be used for tap water and space heating.

Equipment from Alfa Laval makes transcritical and cascading CO2 systems greener, more efficient, reliable and safe.

Semi-welded Brazed plate plate heat exchangers heat exchangers

www.alfalaval.com/make-the-switch /Events/

CONVERTING TO PROPANE

Led by True Manufacturing, a t was only a matter of time before the foodservice industry slew of foodservice equipment Ibegan to take pending federal regulation of refrigeration equipment seriously. manufacturers are transitioning their refrigerator/freezer lines For some time now, it has been widely known that the U.S. Department of Energy is ramping up its energy efficiency from HFCs to R290 refrigerant; requirements by 30% to 50% for foodservice refrigeration they showcased the change at the equipment starting March 27, 2017, while the Environmental Protection Agency will begin delisting major HFC refrigerants NRA Show used in that equipment in 2019.

– By Michael Garry With those deadlines on the horizon, several major equipment manufacturers, led by True Manufacturing, have sprung into action. And last month, at the NRA (National Restaurant Association) Show in Chicago, Ill., they reported transitioning most if not all of their lines from HFCs to propane (R290) refrigerant, in many cases dropping HFCs altogether; this approach deals with both the EPA’s delisting plans and the DOE’s efficiency requirements at the same time, rather than developing efficient HFC models for 2017 and then developing new R290 models for 2019.

42 Accelerate America June 2016 /Events/

True, which began marketing propane systems in the U.S. in 2013 refrigeration units to R290 by the end of 2016, and phasing out and made its commitment to this technology clear at the NAFEM R404A, said Tim Wilczak, senior product manager for Delfield, (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) at the Manitowoc booth. The R290 units are 15% more efficient Show last year, once again emphasized its propane equipment at than their HFC predecessors, he noted, adding, “It seems like the NRA Show, which ran from May 21-24 at Chicago’s massive hydrocarbons will be the refrigerant of choice for self-contained, McCormick Place. Charles Hon, True’s engineering manager, mobile equipment.” acknowledged that propane systems represent the fastest- growing part of True’s business, adding, “We’re discontinuing The reliability of the R290 units is also better, observed Rick [HFC] models left and right, replacing them with [propane units].” Caron, senior vice president, innovation, for Manitowoc Foodservice. “The number of service calls per unit per year is less True’s efforts are not going unnoticed. On May 21 at True’s large because they are less complex than traditional systems.” NRA Show booth, Kirsten Hesla, product manager for the EPA, presented Steve Trulaske, owner of True, with the EPA’s 2016 Since February of 2016, about 80% of Traulsen’s line of one- and Energy Star Emerging Technology Award in the residential/ two-section reach-ins and compact under-counter refrigeration commercial refrigeration category for 42 of the company’s units (308 models) have been available with R290 refrigerant, said propane units. (See story, page 44.) The EPA gave the same award Laura Gutkowski, sales development manager. Along with the to Bosch for two residential refrigerators that use isobutane addition of propane, “every element of the hydrocarbon units has (R600a). been tweaked” to improve their efficiency, including fans, controls and the compressor, she added. But True was far from alone at the NRA Show in highlighting hydrocarbon refrigeration. For example, during 2016, Beverage- Traulsen’s move to hydrocarbons was prompted by its large Air, a division of Ali Group North America, is “converting its full foodservice clients, who are concerned about their environmental [commercial refrigeration] product line to R290, if possible,” said footprint. “We got letters from our global and national accounts Bill Siskar, vice president of manufacturing & engineering, for the saying that effective immediately, they wanted to transfer to Ali Group’s Refrigeration Division. Only large freezer units that need natural refrigerants, and we were up and running and able more than the 150g limit for propane will continue using HFCs. to convert,” said Helith Sofer, director of marketing.” But the company is also continuing to sell equipment with R134a and Beverage-Air’s propane units are 20% to 25% more efficient than R404A “until further notice,” she added. previous HFC models, said Siskar, though he attributed that in part to “improved motor efficiency in the compressors.” Liebherr USA, whose parent company has sold R290 foodservice units in Europe for many years, is bringing them to the U.S. The Delfield Company, a division of Manitowoc, will be market for the first time this year, said Josef Steigmiller, divisional transitioning its upright reach-in and under-counter commercial director, refrigerators and freezers division. continued on p.44

R290 refrigeration units displayed at the NRA Show by (left to right): Traulsen, Delfield and Beverage-Air

June 2016 Accelerate America 43 /Events/

TRUE’S TRIUMPH

It was a moment of triumph for Steve Tru- laske, owner of True Manufacturing.

On May 21, at True’s large NRA Show PROPANE’S ENERGY ADVANTAGE booth, he had just received the Environ- mental Protection Agency’s 2016 Energy True’s 42 award-winning models all met the EPA requirements Star Emerging Technology Award in the of being at least 5% more efficient than predecessor units and residential/commercial refrigeration using a refrigerant with a GWP of 15 or below (both helping to category for 42 of his company’s pro- lower greenhouse gas emissions). In fact, the propane units are pane (R290) units – by far the largest on average 25%-30% more efficient than the HFC models they number ever recognized by the EPA. The replaced, while comparable in cost, noted Todd Washburn of metal-plated wooden award cited True’s True, which offers more than 150 R290 units in total (all fractional “environmental leadership through the horsepower). The 42 units are in production today, but, per EPA design and manufacturing of innovative award requirements, still with less than 5% market share. technology.”

For example, True’s TUC-27-HC propane under-counter refrigerator He held the award aloft, taking in the ap- (33°F-38°F using 1/6HP) consumes 1.44 kWH/day, a 20% plause of colleagues and onlookers. reduction compared to the previous HFC model. True’s award-winning refrigerators and Though some observers downplay the energy-saving ability of freezers all met the EPA requirements propane, its strong heat capacitance (90% greater than R134a’s of being at least 5% more efficient than and 140% better than R404A’s) allows it to absorb more heat previous units (which have been phased faster, True points out on its website; this results in quicker out) and using a refrigerant with a GWP of temperature recovery and lower energy consumption. 15 or below.

In its award requirements, the EPA specified that the energy Kirsten Hesla, product manager for the comparison between a low-GWP refrigerant system (in this case U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, propane) and a standard unit must look at only the refrigerant, presented Trulaske with the award. MG compressor and any components needed to support the refrigeration cycle. All other components, such as the cabinet, insulation and lighting, must remain the same. “This allows for the isolation of efficiency gains due only to the low-GWP refrigerant system,” said the EPA.

At the same time, True is also enhancing the efficiency of its units with LED lighting and other methods. “With DOE 2017, you can’t not turn over all the rocks and look at the complete package,” said Washburn.

In an effort to help promote adoption of True’s efficient propane units, the EPA requires the company to “submit a commercialization plan for the U.S. market that includes a list of commercialization partners and date of product availability.”

But True does not place propane units “unless there’s a trusted technician within an hour’s drive,” noted Hon. To that end, True, based in O’Fallon, Mo., has “made an enormous investment in making sure our service network is hydrocarbon-prepared in North America and throughout the world,” Trulaske said. continued on p.46

Steve Trulaske, True Manufacturing, and Kirsten Hesla, EPA, holding True’s 2016 Energy Star Emerging Technology Award. 44 Accelerate America June 2016

/Events/

Montague system that uses R290 and glycol.

DIVERSE CUSTOMER BASE PAIRING PROPANE WITH GLYCOL

True’s propane refrigerators/freezers encompass glass-door One of the winners of the NRA (National Restaurant Association) merchandisers, under-counter units (glass and solid doors), Show’s “Kitchen Innovation Awards” – which were highlighted commercial kitchen equipment and units built to spec. They all in a special exhibit-floor pavilion – was Turbo Coil Refrigeration contain a maximum of 150g of propane, as per federal charge Systems, for its new propane/glycol refrigerated “chef base.” rules for flammable refrigerants, and use air-cooled condensers. Most are for spot placement in stores, though some are banked The foodservice unit stores seafood, steaks and other foods in together. four drawers at 33°F to 38°F, with cooking equipment used on the top. It employs an R290 condensing unit to chill glycol, which The companies purchasing True’s propane equipment encompass circulates through coils in the draws. The compressor toggles large grocery chains, convenience stores, discounters, dollar on and off to save energy, said Hector Delgadillo, Baldwin Park, stores, restaurant chains and beverage brands. “The large Calif.-based Turbo Coils’ CEO, who designed the system. supermarkets and restaurant chains are moving quickly,” Trulaske said. “And as the big players move in this direction, it’s making The chef base saves 30% to 50% in energy costs compared to good sense for the smaller guys, too,” added Hon. similar units, according to tests conducted by the PG&E Food Service Technology Center.

True has built refrigeration units that use CO2 as the refrigerant, but opted to commit to hydrocarbon as its standard. “We have a Delgadillo was prompted to develop the R290 model by trends in

clear understanding of the difference between CO2’s capabilities Europe as well as EPA and DOE regulations. “This is the way it’s and hydrocarbon’s, and we distinctly believe in hydrocarbons for going and we are getting ahead of the game,” he said. our applications,” Trulaske said. Delgadillo also designed a propane/glycol “sauté station” (which True considered using isobutane, another hydrocarbon, as a won a 2015 Kitchen Innovation Award) for another foodservice refrigerant but decided against it because its lower capacity equipment company, Montague, based in Hayward, Calif. It’s would not be suitable for freezer units. “We found we could do similar to the chef base except that it also includes four cooking a whole model mix – refrigerators and freezers – with propane,” burners, with refrigerated cabinets below and condiment trays said Washburn. above, maintained at about 38°F.

True has discontinued some HFC units “depending on market The combination of propane refrigeration and cooking burners “is demand and component inventory,” said Hon. “Some customers very new to foodservice,” noted Joe Deckelman, vice president of still want the same old thing, but we’re educating them [about sales and marketing for Montague. The unit has been designed to propane technology].” protect against the flammability of the propane, he added.

Concerns about the flammability of propane, while prevalent a The sauté station is Montague’s first propane system, but the few years ago, have abated, said Washburn. “Once we educate company is launching other propane units, including refrigeration them on the UL certification and the low charge sizes, it becomes equipment and a prep table. “We’re trying to stay current with a non-issue.” MG the regulations,” said Deckelman. “The EPA is banning HFCs, so we have to move to something for the future.” Using glycol as a secondary refrigerant helps to compensate for the small (150g) charge of propane allowed, he noted.

The University of Tampa is using the R290 sauté station with other cooking equipment in its student cafeteria, he said. MG

46 Accelerate America June 2016 embraco.com

HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER LIFE

Embraco will be at ATMOsphere America 2016 /Events/

DOUBLE DUTY

North America’s first ammonia/CO2 ice rink system provides both heat and cold

– By Mark Hamstra

Art Sutherland, Accent Refrigeration Systems

48 Accelerate America June 2016 /Events/

It’s a huge payback.”

eating the Wells Fargo“ Sports system runs on one 100-hp Mycom compressor with a variable HComplex at the University of frequency drive, operating primarily on four of its six cylinders. A Alaska in Anchorage is certainly second Mycom compressor serves as a backup. not the primary task of its ice rink’s new ammonia/CO2 refrigeration system, but it Using ammonia as a primary coolant required locating the charge is an important one, said Art Sutherland, outside of the facility because the machine room does not have president of Accent Refrigeration Systems, ventilation to the outside, as required for safety in case of a leak. Victoria, B.C., provider of the system. The new system — which uses an ammonia charge of less than Sutherland described the dual functionality 400 lbs., vs. 8,000 lbs. of R22 in the previous system — includes of what is North America’s first ammonia/ an adiabatic fluid cooler on the roof, which reduces water use by

CO2 system installed in an ice rink during 95% compared with an evaporative condenser, Sutherland noted. a presentation at the North American Rink Conference & Expo (NARCE) last month in The system also uses a gas desuperheater for heat reclaim. Columbus, Ohio. In this device, the ammonia is sent through a self-contained plate condenser cooled by glycol, which then redistributes the

The ammonia/CO2 combination, which captured heat throughout the building. It provides all of the heat is now widely deployed in ice rinks in for the facility’s swimming pool and also heats fresh air for the Europe, replaced a previous direct system facility, which includes a dance studio, gymnasiums, offices and that used R22 as a refrigerant. The rink other areas. was a good candidate for an ammonia/

CO2 system because it already had ½-inch The heat from the system is equivalent to 278 kilowatts of energy, steel pipes welded for high pressure — Sutherland said. “It’s a huge payback.” needed for CO2 delivery — in place in a relatively new floor, Sutherland explained. EFFECTIVENESS OF CO2

The previous system had used two, Using CO2 as a secondary refrigerant also introduces efficiencies 125-horsepower Holmsten compressors, because it allows a lower “approach,” or the temperature one of which ran continuously. For the difference between the primary and secondary refrigerant. Wells Fargo project, which began in 2015, Traditional indirect systems might have an 8-degree approach Accent used a limited-charge ammonia between the primary refrigerant and the brine — 10°F for the system with shell-and-plate primary and 18°F for the secondary refrigerant — but the heat exchangers. Accent designed the ammonia/CO2 system allows for a 2-degree approach because of system, which was built by Ultimate the effectiveness of CO2 as a coolant. Fabrication, Edmonton, Alberta. The continued on p.50

University of Alaska, Anchorage

June 2016 Accelerate America 49 /Events/

HERE COMES AQUA AMMONIA

Using aqua ammonia as a secondary coolant could be the next big thing in natural refrigeration for ice rinks, according to Art Sutherland, president of Accent Refrigeration Systems, Victoria, British Columbia.

“It could be a game-changer,” he said during a presentation at the North American Rink Conference & Expo (NARCE) in Columbus, Ohio, in May.

Aqua ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, which consists of a solution NH3/CO2 packaged ice-rink system that is 17% ammonia and 83% water, was first used as a secondary coolant in an ice rink in France and was rolled out to an additional 20 rinks in Sweden last year. “We’re going to start doing a few of them,” he said. He calculated that operators incur an “energy penalty” of about 2% per degree He told Accelerate America after the presentation that some North of approach, so a traditional system using American rink operators have expressed interest in aqua ammonia, but brine would have a 16% energy penalty. it will require some discussions with local safety authorities to move

forward. CO2 comes back to the chiller as a frothy liquid, after circulating throughout the floor While the use of ammonia in refrigeration systems is tightly regulated at the pressure at which it was delivered. because of its toxicity, aqua ammonia actually poses very little risk, “We can provide a higher temperature and Sutherland explained. “We could have a bucket of it sitting open right still provide good ice throughout the floor,” here in this room, and it wouldn’t bother anyone. It poses no risk as a said Sutherland. gas.” Of course, the environmental benefits

Handling of aqua ammonia does require traditional protective wear for of using an ammonia/CO2 system are eyes and skin, however. numerous, Sutherland explained.

Aqua ammonia is already used as a coolant in industrial applications in Unlike many synthetic refrigerants, Europe, Sutherland said. ammonia does not impact the ozone layer and does not impact global warming, he Among its advantages is the very low pressure required to pump it explained. Ammonia is also superior to through the floor system of a rink — 5HP, vs. 9.5HP for calcium chloride, a R22 in terms of its energy efficiency, he more common secondary refrigerant. said. “R22 is good, ammonia is better — much better than anything down the list Sutherland said he is looking to pair the use of aqua ammonia with his today.” company’s Reduced-Charge Ice Rink Chiller, which uses a small charge of

ammonia. Still, Sutherland said the ammonia/CO2 system is “not for everyone,” especially if He’s confident he’ll get the first such systems started within the next 12 it requires the installation of new pipes months. “We’ll make it happen,” he said. under the floor.

In addition to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, Anchorage is also home to the

U.S.’s first direct CO2 ice rink systems, installed by Hillphoenix for the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department. (See,

“Skating on CO2-Made Ice,” Accelerate

America, May 216.) By next year, the CO2 transcritical system will be employed at four municipal rinks. Reduced-Charge Ice Rink Chiller continued on p.52

50 Accelerate America June 2016 NH3/CO2 packaged ice-rink system

Exterior Machinery room

Compressor ・Cold storages ・Ice rinks Cooling Condenser Evaporator ・Freezers tower etc. Cooling NH3 CO2 water /Events/

Rink Operators Wary of CO2 Conversion Costs

The U.S. ice rink industry is taking a closer look at natural refrigeration technologies, but perceptions about the costs of The industry right now is in a conversion from Freon-based systems and a fear of the unknown ‘proceed with caution’ phase” could be holding some operators back. “ That was the feedback from attendees and exhibitors at the Ammonia has become widely used as a primary refrigerant in ice North American Rink Conference & Expo (NARCE) last month in rinks in Canada, and is gaining acceptance in the U.S., although Columbus, Ohio. people are “still a little paranoid” about it because of its toxicity, said Thomas R. Moorse, a partner at HTG Architects, Minneapolis. “The industry right now is in a ‘proceed with caution’ phase” when it

comes to using CO2 as a refrigerant, said Ian B. Storey, president of “You have to get the building officials and the municipal officials I.B. Storey Inc., which specializes in refrigeration and arena design. to accept it as well,” he said. “Once you convince people it’s been around and working, they come around.” I.B. Storey, which has offices in both Canada and the U.S., has

worked on some rinks using CO2 in Canada, he said, and is Mike McDevitt, chief executive officer of Apple Valley, Minn.-based

exploring the feasibility of using CO2 in two arena projects in Minnesota Ice LLC, an ice rink construction company, agreed that

the U.S., one in New York and the other in Maryland. In both the cost of conversion is steering some operators away from CO2. instances, the operators are considering the possibility of “Plus, there’s not a lot of track record out there,” he said.

converting their R22 direct systems to either CO2 direct systems or indirect systems using ammonia as the primary refrigerant and Many operators seem to be interested in ammonia systems,

CO2 as the secondary refrigerant. McDevitt said, and synthetic refrigerants “are still in demand” because they often present the lowest up-front costs. R22 is being phased out as a refrigerant by the Montreal Protocol because of its ozone depletion potential, and will not be available Tim Henderson, industrial program manager at Conyers, Ga.-

after 2020 except in recycled form. based Hillphoenix, which installed the nation’s first CO2 direct ice rink systems in Anchorage, Alaska, with three more on the way there, said he’s seeing more interest in CO from operators. PIPING AND EFFICIENCY 2

Major costs for some operators seeking to convert to CO2 could “We have a lot of quotes out there, and it’s increasing every be replacing the piping in the floor as well as the rink downtime quarter,” he said.

that comes with such construction. CO2 requires steel piping built

to withstand high pressures. Henderson said he hopes that once he installs some CO2 direct ice rink systems in the continental U.S., operators will more easily

In warmer climates, CO2 can be a tough sell for rink operators, see first-hand how the systems work. Storey said, because of its reduced efficiency. (However, new technology like ejectors and parallel compressors are enabling He agreed that some operators are wary of the cost of conversion,

CO2 transcritical systems to operate efficiently in warm climates.) although he said a CO2 system can be installed “for a lower cost than an industrial ammonia system.” “Most ice rinks are operating with slim profits, so it’s tough to

convince them to take an energy penalty,” said Storey. “Ammonia, Hillphoenix is remaining focused on direct CO2 for ice rinks, rather where allowed, will be much more popular.” than hybrid systems using ammonia or Freon as the primary refrigerant.

CO2 gives you better heat transfer “CO2 gives you better heat transfer at every point in the system, at every point in the system.” because we don’t have the additional steps of heat exchange” “ with the primary refrigerant, he said. MH

52 Accelerate America June 2016 Enterprise Management

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Carnot Refrigeration display at Data Center World COOLING SYSTEMS TRY TO KEEP UP WITH DATA CENTERS

Evolving IT technology is enabling server ne of the biggest markets in the world for cooling systems farms to operate at higher temperatures Ois the data center industry, whose mission-critical servers need to be prevented from over heating to function properly. and make extensive use of ‘free cooling’ – but natural refrigerants are beginning to But data centers and the cooling equipment used to maintain them are both evolving to keep pace with the ever-growing play a role demands of a digital world

– By Michael Garry For one thing, many large information processing companies – Facebook, Intel, Google, Apple and Microsoft among them – have been collaborating on an “open compute” project aimed at maximizing the efficiency of servers, storage and data centers. As part of this design, computers are now capable of operating at higher temperatures, and many Internet giants have raised the temperature of their server rooms.

54 Accelerate America June 2016 /Events/

People are not that At Data Center World familiar with CO2.”

Most server rooms still operate between 62°F and 70°F, air conditioning) units will drop as end users opt for technologies but ASHRAE’s 2011 thermal guidelines for data centers – like free cooling, liquid cooling and chilled-water cooling. And which recommended temperatures from 64.4°F to as high as according to the “Emerson survey, 40% of respondents are adding 80.6°F – have “changed the world,” said Steve Kinkel, CEO of economizers to their systems that provide free cooling when UMP, a Tempe-Ariz.-based manufacturer of data center cooling outside temperatures allow. equipment. “Now they’re talking about 85°F because servers are made to withstand the heat. You don’t worry about the computer This trend has led many Internet players to use free-cooling chips in your car; this is the same thing.” systems based on large custom air handlers in their cloud- computing facilities, said Carlini. “They’re putting big heat sinks But Steve Carlini, senior director of data center solutions [heat exchangers] on them and running air across it. There’s no marketing for equipment manufacturer Schneider Electric, [compressor-based] refrigeration.” cautioned that “unless you have a good understanding of raising the temperature, it may cause the data center to be less efficient.” Some of these cloud-computing facilities are being built in colder climates like Finland and Iceland, Carlini noted. If necessary, the Moreover, the reality for colocation data centers is that even if workloads in a given facility can be moved to a cooler location. 80°F is acceptable for the computer equipment, it may not be “for “They can ‘follow the moon’ by only running workloads at night the customers writing the checks,” said Alex Carroll, managing when it’s cooler.” member, Lifeline Data Centers, an Indiana-based colocation facility. These changes in the data center market are “making the cooling market not as attractive for a company like us,” said Carlini. Still, the upward movement of temperatures acceptable in server rooms is having a pronounced impact on the application of It’s a little different for colocation centers that handle the cooling equipment. In fact, half of all data-center cooling systems computing needs of many companies, large and small. In will be upgraded before the end of 2016, according to research by particular, colocation centers serving “edge computing” – tablets, Emerson Network Power. smartphones and the like – will build replicas of cloud stacks on- premise to operate as standard and/or back-up facilities. “If you MOVING TO FREE COOLING run everything off the cloud, you’re susceptible to outages,” noted Carlini. For example, Google is building 60 data centers in the U.S. The data center industry, particularly the large cloud-based that it’s calling edge data centers; these will reside in colocation companies, are pursuing cooling systems that essentially rely facilities. entirely on free cooling, which employs outside air for cooling in an economizer mode (using a fan without compression), when Schneider is also looking at another type of free cooling system outside temperatures drop below that needed by the server room. -- immersing smaller servers in a pool of circulating water to keep Free cooling dramatically reduces the consumption of energy. them cool. “Water’s more efficient than air, said Carlini. ” The company is testing prototypes this year. A study by market research firm BSRIA predicts that, over the next five to 10 years, the use of traditional CRAC (computer room continued on p.56

June 2016 Accelerate America 55 /Events/

We like ammonia a lot but we don’t know enough about it.” ROLE FOR NATURAL REFRIGERANTS

Where does all of this leave natural refrigerants? Even though The Liebert DSE system is able to leverage free cooling 88% of the free cooling is being used for a larger percentage of data center time in northern climates like San Francisco, said Valiulis. Under cooling, in most cases it still can’t be expected to do 100% of “free cooling it uses a pump rather than a compressor to circulate the job. For the rest, the normal refrigeration compression cycle refrigerant. is needed. But the refrigerants that data centers use in those instances largely remain synthetics. To date, not many data CRAC systems that employ free cooling can be used as an

centers have employed natural refrigerants like CO2, ammonia or efficient, water-saving alternative to chilled-water systems in data hydrocarbons as part of their cooling arsenal. centers. Emerson announced in January that its DSE system saved over 1.4 billion gallons of water in the previous 36 months At the Data Center World conference in Las Vegas in March, in North America when compared to the deployment of chilled-

Carnot Refrigeration, the Quebec-based pioneer of CO2 water cooling systems in the same facilities. transcritical refrigeration systems in North America, was one of the few vendors, if not the only one, promoting the use of ClimateWorx, a Brampton, Ontario-based maker of CRAC systems,

CO2 technology in computer server rooms. (See, “CO2 for Server uses R407C in a traditional refrigeration system that incorporates

Rooms, Accelerate America, May 2016.) glycol-based free cooling. “We would possibly look at CO2 and see where the industry starts to go,” said Gerry Ball, sales manager for

So far, Carnot has sold eight of its Aquilon CO2 transcritical CRAC ClimateWorx. “We have safety concerns about the pressure of a

units, with as many as 20 more on the way, said Marc-Andre CO2 system.” Lesmerises, CEO of Carnot. At least two of the units are running at Bell Canada locations, and at least two are deployed at Rogers Lifeline Data Centers, which uses R407C, also has questions

Communications facilities. about the pressures associated with CO2 refrigeration in a “fail- proof world,” said Carroll. However, the colocation company is The UL-approved Aquilon system ranges from 52kW (15TR) to looking at ammonia refrigeration. “We like ammonia a lot but we 158kW (45TR). It features Carnot’s patented “Rain Cycle” free don’t know enough about it.” MG cooling technology. The Aquilon system leverages free cooling 80%-85% of the time in northern cities like Montreal.

At Data Center World, “people are not that familiar with CO2” as a refrigerant, said Lesmerises. “Here we are starting at the beginning. It’s like in supermarkets [in the U.S.] where we were the

first one [with CO2 transcritical].

Emerson Network Power’s Liebert brand markets a DSE CRAC system that incorporates free cooling but uses R134a (which is being replaced by R410A) as the refrigerant. “We’re looking at

alternative refrigerants like CO2,” said John Peter (JP) Valiulis, vice president, thermal management marketing, data center solutions, for Emerson Network Power. “We’re doing research and talking to Copeland [a brand of Emerson Climate Technologies] and others

about CO2.”

But so far Valiulis regards CO2 as “not ready for prime time just yet in data centers in terms of cost. It’s not proven yet in data centers. But we want to move to greener solutions.”

At Data Center World

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At ATMOsphere Europe in Barcelona, Spain

EUROPEANS EYE TRAINING PROGRAMS

At ATMOsphere Europe, hile European countries have promoted the adoption of Wnatural refrigerant systems through regulation, there is representatives of European still room for further development of training programs nations describe efforts to develop to support and maintain the installed base, according to policy experts who spoke at ATMOsphere Europe in Barcelona in April. training for natural refrigerant ATMOsphere Europe was organized by shecco, publisher of systems that are taking root in a Accelerate America. favorable regulatory climate For example, Ricardo Almeida from the Portuguese Environmental Agency pointed out the lack of trained technicians on natural – By Klára Skačanová refrigerants in southern European countries. “Adequate training and knowledge among contractors operating in different countries, particularly in the south of Europe, should be guaranteed,” he said. Last year we provided 18 million euros [$20 million] Guillermo Martínez López from the Spanish Office for Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, said to finance 252 refrigeration that his agency is waiting for approval from the government to systems running on natural move forward with new requirements for training on alternative refrigerants and a certification system for technicians. refrigerants.” Spain followed the example of northern European countries by “ introducing a tax on fluorinated refrigerants in 2014. Although the tax level ($14.4/tCO2eq) is much lower than in Norway

continued on p.60

58 Accelerate America June 2016 accelerate.shecco.com /Events/

($44.4/tCO2eq), Martínez López pointed out that significant GREEN & COOL’S NEW emission reductions are expected for 2015 as a result of adopting CO2 CONDENSING UNIT HFC alternative technologies in new refrigeration installations Swedish manufacturer Green & Cool, a ma- and retrofitting with lower GWP substances in existing facilities. jor supplier of CO2 refrigeration systems in Europe, launched a small, stand-alone Katja Becken from the German Federal Environment Agency CO condensing unit at the ATMOsphere revealed that while Germany is considering making practical 2 Europe conference in Barcelona, targeting training on natural refrigerants mandatory, “we need to enable small-scale applications like convenience training facilities.” stores and gas stations.

As part of Germany’s Climate Action Program 2020, several ideas are “The unit is basic and inexpensive, but still currently on the table. These include financial support for training bears a state-of-the-art eco-performance,” facilities and on-the-job practical training on natural refrigerants to said Johan Hellman sales engineer for help familiarize trainees and professionals with the technology. Green & Cool at the company’s AT- MOsphere Europe booth. “It’s a small In order to accelerate the uptake of alternative technologies, condensing unit for applications like small Germany has been providing millions of euros since 2008 as shops or petrol stations, or for bigger a financial incentive to companies working in the commercial shops that need to add extra display cas- refrigeration sector. “Last year we provided 18 million euros [$20 es. It is already CE-marked, so it’s ready for million] to finance 252 refrigeration systems running on natural the European market.” refrigerants,” said Becken. “In total we spent 114 million euros [$127 million] on 1,300 projects from 2008 to 2014.” The unit – which is manufactured in the south of France – uses a rotary hermetic Meanwhile, the European Commission is currently working on a compressor and a BLDC motor to achieve report on training for HFC alternatives, which will be published a capacity of up to 5.8kW. And as a plug- by 2017. While the EU has strict rules regarding training and and-play system, it is simple to use. “All mandatory certification for f-gases, it doesn’t have that for you need to do is set which operating alternative refrigerants. “We don’t think that EU-wide regulation pressure you want,” said Hellman. for training on alternatives is necessary,” said Arno Kaschl, a policy expert from the European Commission, adding that The control system, manufactured by individual national legislators are best placed to decide the most Italian firm CAREL, features a small appropriate way forward. microprocessor linking the unit to the cloud, allowing operations to be monitored In terms of policy and industry actions taken to reduce the use remotely from a mobile phone and opening of HFCs, northern Europe is more advanced in its move away the door to its use as part of a wider super- from high-GWP substances than southern Europe, and natural market system. refrigerant technology has become more the standard rather than the exception. For example, Norway’s tax and refund scheme Hellman believes the condensing unit will on fluorinated refrigerants has been in place since 2003. At work in ambient temperatures of up to its current level, the tax has provided a supportive regulatory 113°F, making it suitable for use in warmer framework for natural refrigerant technologies, especially in climates like southern Europe. larger systems, Torgrim Asphjell from the Norwegian Environment Agency said. “With this condensing unit, smaller businesses can also afford to keep cool with- While policy representatives from Spain and Portugal were out harming the environment”, said Micael hesitant on whether natural refrigerant solutions could work in Antonsson, Green & Cool’s technical & their countries, Asphjell clearly stated Norway’s favorable position business director. – Andrew Williams towards natural refrigerants. “In the long term we want to phase down fluorinated gases and get back to natural refrigerants because we think that this is a sustainable and long-term solution.” KS

60 Accelerate America June 2016 The Accelerate America Awards recognize natref pioneers in

Foodservice Innovation of the year Food Retail Person of the year Industrial

Look out for this year’s winners at ATMOsphere America 2016! /Vendor profile/

Tadashi Maekawa, Mayekawa BRINGING THE ‘NATURAL FIVE’ TO THE WORLD

hile the global climate conference in Paris (COP21) last Having established itself as a WDecember signaled progress in addressing the effects of premier provider of systems that climate change, Japanese manufacturer Mayekawa has put environmental preservation at the heart of its commercial

use NH3, CO2, HCs, H2O and air activities for decades. in Japan, Mayekawa is focused Kisaku Maekawa founded the Tokyo-based company in 1924, on growing its business and producing industrial reciprocating refrigeration compressors for spreading its environmental ice making and cold storage. Since then Mayekawa has developed systems based on what it calls the “Natural Five” refrigerants – message globally ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, water and air. The company employs these refrigerants in a wide range of applications – air – By James Ranson and Marc Chasserot conditioning, cooling, chilling and freezing, as well as heating, drying and hot-water making – across temperatures ranging from -148°F to 392°F. Its products include Mycom compressors, cooling systems, freezers, heat pumps and more.

Current President Tadashi Maekawa, grandson of the founder, has continued the legacy of his grandfather and father in manufacturing products that support environmental goals like

62 Accelerate America June 2016 /Vendor profile/

Solving environmental issues is a global mission that has to be [solved] this century.” reversing global warming. “Our endeavor on natural refrigerant But Maekawa acknowledged that it doesn’t always work that technologies started from the conception that solving way overseas. “We enjoy significant support from the Japanese environmental issues is a global mission that has to be [solved] “government when we build relationships with our customers in this century,” Maekawa said. terms of the Natural Five, but we are not yet in such a position in other countries. So we hope to build relationships with all In 2024, Mayekawa will celebrate is 100th anniversary, but relevant governments, regulatory agencies, and international rather than view the milestone as an opportunity to reflect, the organizations.” company is instead using it as a catalyst for further growth. For example, by 2024 Mayekawa aims to double its 2014 sales to To build new accounts and increase its visibility globally in the 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion) by expanding its global business absence of government support, Mayekawa is inviting potential and extending its product portfolio from industrial applications international customers to Japan to show them its successful to the commercial sector. installations and enduring partnerships with leading clients. “I have great confidence in the environmental business that we FIVE-YEAR GLOBAL STRATEGY conduct here in Japan,” said Maekawa. Mayekawa now has subsidiaries in 40 countries, with new global CONSTANT INNOVATION markets each year, including the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. In 2014, the company had more international than When asked how Mayekawa continues to innovate and how domestic sales, with a 60-40% split. innovation is ingrained in the company’s corporate culture, Maekawa mused for a moment before replying, “There is “We believe our business will expand more overseas than in Japan no special tip, but without innovations, we cannot secure in the coming years - the international market is huge compared our existence. Therefore, in order to survive, we need to be to that of Japan,” Maekawa said. “And without increasing our innovative. And I sense this is a shared feeling among everyone at overseas sales, we cannot make a significant contribution to the Mayekawa. Never being complacent, we need to try new things global environment.” The company has its eye on a number of key one after another.” accounts – “world-leading end users” -- outside Japan, he added. This philosophy is certainly reflected in of Mayekawa’s flagship

This doesn’t mean that the Japanese market is no longer low-charge NH3/CO2 system, the NewTon. These systems are important to Mayekawa, he stressed, but at least it already has predominantly manufactured in Japan, where Mayekawa has sold environmental actions underway. “We believe if such actions are over 850 units, but they will be crucial for growth in new markets, conducted on a global scale, the global environment will be far where natural refrigerant cascade systems are starting to make better, even in China or India. That is what we hope to do in the their mark in the industrial sector. next five years.” “The NewTon series is really an important business for us, but To accomplish that, Mayekawa will share the lessons it has although it has gained ground in the Japanese market, we also learned in Japan. For example, the company will maintain open need to continue [marketing it] overseas, so that this system will dialogues with local industries and governments, as it has done be a standard throughout the world,” he said. One of those markets for decades in Japan. is the U.S. (See “Coming to America,” Accelerate America, February 2016.) The company has a strong tradition of working with the Japanese government, utilizing the many subsidies and incentive programs Mayekawa will continue to develop a more advanced NewTon that it offers to expand Mayekawa’s business. Japan’s Ministry of achieves higher efficiency using a smaller ammonia charge. The Environment has helped numerous companies install energy- company will also improve its service networks and collaborate efficient natural refrigerant technology, with 6.3 billion yen with local companies with the aim of launching a smaller

($56.7million) in subsidies provided in 2015 and 7.3 billion yen NewTon for the commercial market that uses an NH3 scroll ($65.7 million) slated for 2016. The subsidies encourage end compressor. In addition, new production lines for NewTon motors users to purchase natural refrigerant technology by covering up will be constructed at the company’s Higashi-Hiroshima plant in to one-half of the total cost of the systems and installation. Japan. “We need to address compressors as well, but we will first enhance the efficiency of the motors,” said Maekawa.

continued on p.64

June 2016 Accelerate America 63 /Vendor profile/

While Mayekawa traditionally services a wide spectrum of at the same time we hope other companies will [work] with industrial refrigeration sectors, a move into the commercial arena us promoting the Natural Five, so as to make a better global (supermarkets and convenience stores) as well as industrial air environment for younger generations. conditioning applications could have hugely positive implications for the company’s business. “Our next mission is to develop “I want people to perceive Mayekawa as an ecological company components that do not use f-gases and have less impact on the making a big effort to support the global environment. That is environment, and bring them into markets we haven’t addressed an important aspect of our company. In 20 years time, I hope we before,” Maekawa said. Mayekawa even plans to construct a will be constantly developing products that are friendly to the

building that has NH3/CO2 air conditioning systems. environment and introducing green components to the market. If we fail in these things, we also fail in committing to our mission.” Looking forward, Maekawa insisted little would change in the JR & MC company’s philosophy. “We will continue to be pioneers but

APPLYING THE NATURAL FIVE Mayekawa’s product portfolio includes the following:

• The NewTon NH3/CO2 cooling system • Adsorption chillers using water as a refrigerant

• CO2 heat pumps • Extremely low-temperature freezers • Hydrocarbon heat pumps (-58°F to -148°F) using air as a refrigerant

HDROARBON O AONIA WATER AIR

120C 120C

100C 100C ri eati 0C t 0C ater l 60C 60C

0C 0C

t ater l Aircitii 20C li 20C eati Air citii Air citii li li 0C li l trae 0C reei ecar 20C rerierat 20C

0C 0C reei

60C 60C li reei 0C 0C

100C 100C

Source: Mayekawa

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2016 ATMO America Presentation: “Advanced Copper Heat Exchanger Coils for Natural Refrigerants” /Vendor profile/

Peter Dee, Danfoss FOLLOW THE LEADER

Danfoss’ Peter Dee sees a familiar pattern from his time in Europe as the U.S. begins opening up to natural refrigerants

– By Mark Hamstra and Michael Garry

egulation of HFCs in Europe helped propel the adoption technologies, whether they are seeking to minimize their impact of CO and other natural refrigerants there, and a similar on the environment or reduce their energy costs – which often R 2 pattern could unfold in the U.S., said Peter Dee, sales and includes transitioning to natural refrigerants. service director, Danfoss North America, based in Baltimore.

One of his primary messages about transitioning to CO2, ammonia “There is this mindset in America that this is kind of an unknown and other natural or low-GWP refrigerants is that although such quantity, but that is definitely shifting,” he toldAccelerate America. systems may be novel to some end users, they have actually been around for a long time. Danfoss specializes in research, development and manufacturing of controls, valves and other equipment for refrigeration “It is a proven technology, but does require that the entire delivery systems used in commercial and industrial applications. Dee channel is properly educated and trained,” he said. is responsible for the food retailing customer segment. He previously owned a company in Ireland that provided sales and Following are excerpts from Accelerate America’s conversation support services for Danfoss. with Dee about his views on the transition to natural refrigeration technologies in the U.S. Although Danfoss’ products are sold directly to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Dee said he works closely with food retailers to determine how best to optimize their refrigeration

66 Accelerate America June 2016 /Vendor profile/

Many see CO2 or hydrocarbons as technology that will be Accelerate America: What kinds Peter Dee: As in any market, of customers do you see adopting there are always leaders and around for a long time." natural refrigeration technology? early adopters who are willing to look at new technologies, whether to reduce their carbon footprint or their energy use, or As a component manufacturer we have the product portfolio both. A lot of organizations are looking into this [because of] their and the expertise. Danfoss has been involved in over 7,000 CO corporate sustainability commitment or the regulations that are 2 installations worldwide and have over a decade of experience, coming into effect for HFCs. “but it does require training the people who are going to touch this day in and day out. Preparing the entire channel is critical to safe Many of our customers want certainty with their technologies and deployment of the technology. don’t want to go through multiple transitions. They want to get to the end state. Many see CO or hydrocarbons as technology that 2 Accelerate America: Besides CO , Peter Dee: We have our own will be around for a long time. 2 the food retailing industry is also controllers specifically to looking at hydrocarbons, and a few control hydrocarbons. As far Others will wait to see how these early adopters fare. That also places are testing ammonia/CO . as ammonia, we are heavily provides an opportunity for the manufacturers to build up their 2 Are you working with those kinds involved with industrial skill sets and knowledge. of applications? refrigeration, and that crosses over — a lot of the component Accelerate America: There are a Peter Dee: It is being driven by lines that have been used in the industrial sector have been used handful of food retailers who are regulations, and the industry in the food retail/commercial sector as well. We have already looking at transitioning to natural will be able to respond, but done one or two ammonia systems [in food retail] in America. refrigerants, but it seems like many will wait until they are there are lot of people who are required to change. Peter Dee: It’s a relatively not that interested, even though Accelerate America: What portion small percent, but we are the regulatory handwriting is on It has been an interesting of your business involves natural increasingly seeing end users the wall. Do you still think there journey for me. I joined refrigerants? moving to case controller is a significant percentage that Danfoss four years ago, technology, and that’s an needs to be convinced or educated and the first ATMOsphere enabler for them to transition into CO . around this? [shecco’s natural refrigeration 2 conference] was in Case controllers will build up the skill sets of the technicians and Washington, D.C. It was a discussion about where HFCs were the contractors, so that is one hurdle out of the way. Then if you going, and what people were doing in other regions. Then in the move to CO , you are just looking at what’s required for the CO second year, we saw some clear leaders moving forward. 2 2 application at the rack level.

By last year at ATMOsphere, you had certain end users that have We have customers today that are using case controllers and made the decision that, "This is the way we are going to go. It is electronic expansion valves. So now they are already getting more going to take us a while to get there, but this is the decision we efficiency, and once they have done this for one or two years, it’s made, and we are going to move forward with it." not such a big hurdle to move to CO2.

continued on p.68

June 2016 Accelerate America 67 /Vendor profile/

Case controllers will build up the skill sets of Accelerate America: Is that what Peter Dee: It is very, very happened in Europe? similar to what happened in the technicians and the Europe. A lot of people went to case controllers, and that was the first stage. I have seen the contractors." transition in Europe from case controls to natural refrigerants, and it is like a carbon copy here.

Accelerate America: Do you think Peter Dee: I really do think the the Europeans are more open to U.S. market is open to it, but Accelerate America: Do you see Peter Dee: We are definitely natural refrigeration technologies I think the industry is slightly “costs coming down for natural seeing costs reduced, but than Americans? different here. In Europe it refrigerant equipment for the end you are still going to have is mainly the contractors user, as uptake increases? that first-cost impression implementing these technologies, and here the end users are because you have to use case pushing for it. controls. That’s why you have to look at the whole picture. With case controls alone, [users] are getting 11%-15% improved energy In Europe it was driven mostly by the HFC phase outs. There is efficiency out of it, so there is definitely an ROI. But costs will also the higher cost of energy in Europe, and that’s another driver. decline when we achieve scale.

With national and global agreements moving forward we are now Accelerate America: At Peter Dee: Yes, we are having at the stage where some people are saying, "Maybe we should ATMOsphere America, we are more discussions with end be looking at natural refrigerants, so we don’t have to go through having a speaker from supermarket user reaching out to us for multiple phase outs." chain DeCicco & Sons, John support for retrofits on the

DeCicco, who is retrofitting CO2 side. There are a few who One potential barrier for end users is that it might be seen as a an existing R22 store with a have been the early adopters.

more expensive solution — and it is, if you just look at first cost. transcritical CO2 system. Are you They are saying, "I am doing a But you also have to look at the total cost of ownership and life hearing more people talking about remodel of this store, so I can

cycle climate performance. We are very conscious of the first doing CO2 retrofits? retrofit and put transcritical

cost, and we have been very active in trying to reduce the cost of with CO2 in."

a CO2 application. It can be done, and it is not new technology. I think the obstacle is the expertise available in North America in order to manage that. The OEMs have embraced it, and have built up their expertise, because they see things moving in the same direction that we see. It makes business sense to make sure we are training people.

continued on p.70

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Accelerate America: In the U.S. Peter Dee: I think it is certainly there were about 50 transcritical moving that way, and I it will refrigeration systems last year. Do continue to increase. I think think that number will double this there will be a spike in about It is very, very similar year? two years’ time. to what happened in Just look at the momentum after four years: There are more Europe." people involved, the expertise is growing, the industry is investing, and there’s a comfort factor that’s building.

The reason I say that is we saw the same pattern in Europe. First We can expect it will be similar to CO . You will have the there were all these early adopters, and then there was a huge 2 early adopters, and it will come down to what are the safety increase in people starting to use these transcritical systems. requirements, and what is the legislation around it. I think there Danfoss was able to help customers transition and meet the is a little bit of cost concern, but as we get more people adopting, regulations in Europe, so we have the expertise to enable end the costs will definitely come down. users here make the transition. “ Accelerate America: In the U.S., Peter Dee: It completely Accelerate America: In Japan Peter Dee: The trend we’re would you say more companies are depends on the application. there’s a big market for CO seeing is the smaller 2 going toward naturals, or are more There is no one single condensing units as opposed to supermarket chains are going toward HFO blends, as a solution. For supermarkets big racks, and now Panasonic is looking at that, but I think they replacement for HFCs? CO really seems to be the seeking to expand such technology are not just looking at CO 2 2 best alternative solution. For in the U.S. and elsewhere with its transcritical. They are looking industrial refrigeration ammonia is a proven solution while we see acquisition of Hussmann Corp. at whether they can use hydrocarbons gaining momentum for self-contained refrigeration Are you seeing more interest from hydrocarbons, or whether they equipment. MG & MH convenience stores and smaller can use water-loop systems. I stores? Do you see more of these think they are looking at what condensing units coming in? will be the best fit for their chains. If you have a chain across the whole U.S., you have huge swings in temperatures, so you have to consider [different options].

Peter Dee, Danfoss, at ATMOsphere America 2014

70 Accelerate America June 2016 e Accelerate America eerere t

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Issue #16 Issue #17 June 2016 July-August 2016 Publication date: Jun. 9 Publication date: Jul. 19 Focus: Utilities & incentives. Focus: Accelerate America Distribution at ATMOsphere Award Winners. Includes America (June 16-17), FMI coverage of ATMOsphere Connect and Global Cold America, FMI Connect/ Chain Expo (June 20-23) Global Cold Chain Expo. Ad submission deadline: Ad submission deadline: May 27 Jul. 8

Issue #18 Supplement Issue #19 September 2016 to Issue #18 October 2016 GUIDE to Natural Refrigerants Publication date: Sep. 6 Training in North America Publication date: Oct. 11 Focus: Food Retail. Publication date: Sep. 6 Focus: Transport Distribution at FMI Energy refrigeration. Includes Print distribution to coverage of FMI Energy & Store Development commercial and industrial Conference, Sept. 11-14. & Store Development end users. Conference. Ad submission deadline: Ad submission deadline: Aug. 26 Ad submission deadline: Aug. 26 Sep. 30

Issue #20 Additional Topics: Nov. - Dec. 2016 »»Ice Rinks Publication date: Nov. 15 »»Data Centers »»New Technology Focus: Regulations and »»Mobile Air Conditioning Standards. »»Buildings (residential) Ad submission deadline: »»Buildings (hospitals, Nov. 4 universities, offices, government, hotels, sports, shopping centers, airports) »»Research

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